


Must Be Tuesday

by CaptainGray



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Movie Watching, Team Bonding, dvd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 18:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5676148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainGray/pseuds/CaptainGray
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That Lady in White. A mysterious being that has taken it upon herself to insure the future. The Avengers and other key characters are taken at crucial points in there lives and put in a room together to watch their futures. Hopefully this will secure the future for most and change the path for better for others. Forcefully sticking all these special individuals with different and strong personalities together with little explanation? What could possibly go wrong?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lady In White (Prologue)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! Thank you for clicking on my story, even it was an accident and now your just rolling with it. I have had this fluffy little plot bunny in my head for... awhile. It was quite a vicious bunny, think Monty Python. I know that there are other stories out there like this, and it is in no way original but I'm gonna try to make it my own, and hopefully you enjoy it:)  
> Let's get this out of the way first, I do not own Marvel or it's characters. If it seems like there are aspects of my story that either sounds a lot like yours or another's story, I apologize in advance. I am in no way trying to steal another's work. There might be some aspects I might use that I am sure I have read somewhere before, but I can't remember specifics, so again sorry! If you do contact me about something like that, please leave the harsh words and flame throwers at home, we can civil about this really!  
> So without further rambling, I present My Story! (Drum roll) What chu waiting for? There is reading to be done!

  Steve Rogers had just walked out of the recruitment tent where he finally got his lucky break. He has officially been accepted into the United States Army, thanks to Dr. Abraham Erskine for being the first one to give him a chance. Steve couldn’t help feeling the satisfaction of accomplishing something many said was impossible. Something even his best friend Bucky had said was suicidal. He started to weave back into the crowds at the Stark Expo, enlistment forms still in hand, when he felt the small hairs on his neck stand up. Snapping his head up, he started looking around for whatever caused his sudden unease. All he could see were hundreds of people moving from exhibit to exhibit, couples, families, and everyone in between enjoying the displays of the future. Then suddenly, a little way in front of him, was a woman. She just stood there and people seemed to take no notice of her as they walked right by.

      Steve did. As soon as he saw her, he just knew she was the reason for his feeling of foreboding. _She’s quite beautiful_ he thought. She was tall, slim, with long blonde flowing hair, and she wore all white. White heels, white knee length flowing skirt, crisp white button up, and long white coat. And she was looking straight at him, and gave a slight smile. Maybe it was the white and dark setting but she seemed be slightly brighter than those around her. His last thought was oddly, _Wonder how she keeps it all clean…_

           =A=

      Bruce Banner should be freezing. Well he was but it didn’t really register with him. All he felt was tired, numb, and the slight weight of revolver magnum in his left hand. He had swiped it from the man who was kind enough to chopper him out here, to the middle of frozen nowhere.

      He couldn’t make himself feel regret for it though. It was a small crime compared to the immense havoc the Hul- the Other Guy, inflicted in Harlem. He couldn’t remember much of any of it, which was common when the Other Guy came out, which he found to be one of the worst side effects, because if he didn’t have solid truth of what happened, his mind would fill in the gaps. What his mind filled it with was probably more violent and brutal then what had actually happened, but he wouldn’t have put it past his monstrous alter ego.

      Bruce looked out and over the cliff he was currently sitting on the edge of. _There are worst places to choose to end it_ he thought. It was a beautiful landscape, everything was in varying shades of snow white. No birds, animals, plants and (most importantly) no humans. Just one of the reasons for choosing this area, just in case he failed to end it all. He looked back down to the small gun, and gripped it just a bit tighter with his gloved hand. Lifting it, he cocked it. Looking back up to the elegant scenery, he started to raise his escape towards his mouth, when he felt it.

      The telltale feeling of someone’s eyes on you. Whipping his head around behind him, Bruce wasn’t sure if what he was seeing was real or not. Standing a few feet behind him, was a woman in all white. Everything was white, her snow boots and jacket, her pants and gloves, even her beanie. The only color to break up the solidary theme was her bright blonde hair, a slight glow seemed to come off her. She gave him a small smile, that was ever so slightly pitying. Bruce’s last thought was _Huh I didn’t think I would get into heaven; I don’t even remember pulling the trigger…_

                                                                                                                                =A=

      Thor Odinson had never felt such frustration! His coronation ruined, a fight with his father, and the culprits are to get away with it. The Jotun’s should be taught a lesson! They need to be shown that an act against Asgard has repercussions. His father has forbidden it however.

      With no outlet for his frustration, Thor flipped the long heavy table laden with food and drink, sending it all crashing to the ground. With a short shout of dissatisfaction, and paces away from his three friends, tuning out their conversation, he finally plopped himself down on a golden step. Bracing his arms over his knees, his hands curled into fists. He noticed his younger brother approaching from his peripheral.

      “It’s unwise to be in my company right now, brother.” Thor says in a sullen growl.

      “Who said I was wise.” Loki easily replied.

      “It was to be my day of triumph.” He said, slightly more sullenly as he looked at the empty hall that should be full of his subjects celebrating their new king.

      “It will come. In time.” Said Loki. He then leaned a bit closer to Thor and said, “If it’s any consolation, I think your right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, everything. If a few of them could penetrate the defenses of Asgard once, who’s to say they won’t try again. Next time with an army?”

      “Yes, exactly!” Thor said, excited that his brother at least got it.

      “But there’s nothing we can do without defying Father.” Loki continued.

Thor considers this, and looking at his hammer, a look came to his face that had Loki’s eyes widening slightly and have him following his brother as Thor got up.

      “No… stop there! I know that look!”

      “It’s the only way to ensure the safety of our borders.” Thor said with a slight smirk. He waited for his brother to continue to try to talk him out of it. Only Loki seemed to be frozen. Thor became more concerned when he looked around to see that Sif and the Warriors Three were also not moving.

      “Loki? What’s the matter? Loki?!” Thor took a single step toward his brother, when his honed instincts alerted him to another presence in the room. He slowed, and opened his right hand to call Mjölnir to him. Whirling around the second he wrapped his fingers around the handle, Thor came face to face with a…maiden?

      “Speak! Who are you?” Thor demanded. The maiden was quite beautiful. She reminded him slightly of Lady Sif with her golden hair, before Loki had cut it off. She wore Asgardian clothing, including bits of armor. What was strange was her gown and armor were white. She didn’t answer Thor. Instead she titled her head slightly and smiled. Thor couldn’t remember what happened next…


	2. Seriously, What's With All The White?

Clint Barton woke with a slight crick in his neck, and a slightly dry mouth, probably because it was wide open and drooling on the table that his head was currently laying on. Lifting his head sluggishly he let out a soft groan as his neck made a ‘pop’ noise. _Ugh what the hell did I do last night that I must be punished in this way?_ He thought.

      _Wait…what_ did _happen?_ Thinking back, Clint became alarmed when he couldn’t remember anything passed downing shots with his brother and some of the other carnies. _No, wait, there was a woman, right?_ _What I would give for some water…oh._ Looking in front of him, sitting in a clear glass was, water. Wondering where it came from or who put it there, Clint looked around hoping to see his brother Barney, but instead found at least five other strangers at the table. All asleep in different positions, some sitting up, others with heads on the table or their arms, one man was slumped in his chair looking like he could use a large sandwich.

      _Who the hell-where the hell am I? And what the hell is with all this bright white?_ Everywhere he looked he saw white. Table, chairs, counters, sofas, even the damn carpet. Clint didn’t see any light fixtures, or windows but it still was somehow extremely bright. Or maybe (and more likely) he was more hungover than he thought. Panicking but trying to stay calm, he noticed some of the others stirring. The woman with red hair in particular looked like she waking up.

      She lifted her head from its resting place, rubbing her forehead. As soon as she opened her eyes and noticed the others, she jumped up from her chair. Locking eyes with Clint though, prompted her to swiftly pull a gun from her hip and point it at him. Clint immediately lifted his arms up, the universal sign of surrender. Instead of calming her down though, it made her even more tense and had her narrowing her eyes at him.

      _Well shit._ Clint thought.

=A=

      Natasha Romanov didn’t wake gradually, but swiftly. She only put on the show of sluggishly getting up to her give her time to assess the situation she was in, how many enemies, her location, etc. However, the combination of faulty memory, the amount of people and the feeling of eyes on her, had her acting on instinct. Natasha decided to quickly move and hopefully surprise her assailant(s) enough that she could take them down. Though seeing they were all asleep had her momentarily stalling the withdraw of her weapon. Her hesitation however didn’t last long when she locked eyes with the man, who only moments earlier had an honest to god bow and arrow pointed at her.

      He didn’t act how she thought he would when she pointed her gun at him, and that made her even more suspicious. _Why wasn’t he attacking?_ She thought.

      Neither of them was moving. They were just staring at each, waiting to see who would move first. The longer she looked at him, had her thinking. _Am I still under the effects of whatever drug they exposed me to, or does he look younger?_ The man in front of her definitely looked a lot like her attacker, and she couldn’t see the bow from earlier or any other weapons. _Brother, perhaps?_

      It was the eyes however that had her convinced it was the same person. During her musing, she failed to notice that the man was moving, and on instinct she pulled the trigger. All she got was the distinct click sound of no bullets.  
“дерьмо” she muttered lowly.

“What the shit!” the man exclaimed. “Why the hell did you just try to shoot me?!”

      “I don’t need a gun to take you on.” Natasha said calmly, putting her empty gun back in her holster. _Rookie mistake not realizing how much lighter it was._ She berated herself silently tensing for a fight.

      “What the shit!” Clint repeated. _This chick is nuts!_

      Natasha lifted her fists and got into a fighting stance.

      “Whoa whoa! Okay, let’s just chill. How about we start over?” Clint was definitely panicking now. “Hi there, my name is Clint Barton. And you are?” held one hand out for a handshake while the other was still in the air. Natasha didn’t move.

      “O-K…” Clint awkwardly lowered his hands.

      She didn’t move from her stance, but she did release some tension. She was feeling confusion. _I don’t understand, why isn’t he attacking? Is this some tactic to make me lower my guard? Who are these other people that are…sleeping?_ Natasha was brought back from her thoughts when the blonde man started talking again.

      “Look, I don’t have any idea why I’m here.” Clint said. “And by looking at you, I’m guessing you don’t either. I can’t remember how I even got here. The last thing I remember was drinking at some dive bar, then nothing.” He thought it a good call not to mention his brother or the others, he didn’t want this crazy woman pulling any guns on the people he cared about. Empty or not.

      Natasha finally got out of her fighting stance, which made Clint more relaxed.

      “How about you? What’s the last thing you remember?” he asked. After a slight hesitation, she answered.

      “Last thing I remember was you, pointing an arrow at my chest.” She said in a stony tone.

      _And back to panicking_ Clint thought. True, he owned a bow and some arrows, and he was quite the expert marksman if does say so himself. But he never pointed it at anyone that wasn’t part of the act.

      “You probably have me confused with someone else. Yes, I have a bow and arrow, but I don’t use it to attack people!” _Well…_ he thought, _if Barney is able to convince the others about his harebrained scheme to use our skills for robbery, it might be a different story._ “I’m in the circus. Maybe you heard of me? The Amazing Hawkeye?”

      “I’ve heard of Hawkeye, but I only know the assassin with that codename.” She replied.

      “Assassin?” Clint asked alarmed. Before Natasha could reply, someone else started to stir.

=A=

      Phil Coulson has had his fair share of waking up in strange places from a number of things, drugs, knockouts, lack of oxygen, you name it. Work hazards of being a spy you could say. Taking a moment to assess himself, he was relieved to find no coppery penny taste in his mouth from chloroform, or any headaches or lumps from being clobbered in the head. In fact, the only discomfort he could feel, was the pins and needles of his leg falling asleep. Well that and the matter of his slight amnesia. He couldn’t remember anything past getting up top the secret base for project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. to meet Fury. Looking up, he was rather pleased to see two of his agents standing before him.

      “Agent Barton, Agent Romanov, you mind explaining what we are doing here?” Phil said in the automatic tone of a slightly disapproving parent, he just can’t help use when dealing with his agents. Barton especially. They didn’t reply, but they did share a look that made Coulson feel that now familiar unease that he is in a ridiculous, and possible dangerous situation. Again.

 _Must be Tuesday._ He thought ruefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Sorry for the short chapters and no movie dialogue. I wanna get the waking up and meet and greets over and done with before they get to any watching. Thanks for reading!  
> P.S. I have no one to proof read this besides me and spellcheck, so any mistakes, my bad.  
> Translations: Russian word дерьмо translates (according to google) to shit.  
> I can already hear Cap berating me for such foul language:)


	3. Wakey Wakey, Eggs and Amnesia

“Look gramps,” Clint said, making Phil’s eyebrow raise. “I don’t know who you think I am, but I’ve never seen you before in my life. I’m not an ‘agent’, I’m a carney.” He said rather proudly. Natasha just kept silent, observing. Phil sighed.

      “My name is Phil Coulson. I’m an agent with S.H.I.E.L.D.” He said. At this Natasha’s eyebrow rose in surprise at recognizing the name of the organization. “I’m also the handler for two agents. Clint Barton and Natasha Romanov. You two.” They gave each other another look.

      “I can’t seem to remember how I got here. Do you?” he asked

      “No. Neither of us. What the hell is shield?” Clint asked.

      “It’s an acronym, it stands for the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division.” Phil replied.

      “I can see why you went with the short version, yikes. Whoever came up with that name _really_ must have wanted it to spell shield.” Clint said with a short huff of a laugh. Phil was suddenly reminded of when he first met Barton all those years ago _. Come to think of it, he looks almost exactly as I remember him looking when I first recruited him. Natasha too._ _What’s going on?_ He thought.

      Looking around revealed the remaining people, all men, except Romanov, and all still asleep. A rather buff long haired blonde man with a beard was directly across from Phil, looking like a surfer if it weren’t for his…armor? (Yes that was defiantly armor) he was basically sitting up, with his head laying back and slightly over his chair. A shorter man with a mop of brown hair was resting his head on his crossed arms, his glasses were pushed to the top of his head. He looked normal enough, wearing brown khaki’s and a rather vibrant purple button up, he was on Phil’s right, on the other side of Natasha. On his left, next to Clint was an ever smaller man, and was clearly the skinniest out of them all. He too was blonde and wearing khakis, only difference was the black suspenders over his white button up. He lay slumped down in his chair. Phil felt like he has seen his face somewhere before… _wait, Cap?_

      “Captain?” Phil asked.

      “Who?” Clint asked in return.

      “Captain Rogers, right there. But…he’s different since the last time I saw him. He was more…buff.” Phil tried to stop the ridiculous blush from crawling up his neck. He was also trying to stamp down, what Stark would call his fanboying. Phil just couldn’t help it whenever his childhood (and adulthood) hero was in the room with him, or if he just happens to see him in passing, or if someone just mentions him even.

      “Rogers? As in Captain America?” Clint asked looking at the guy he thought really needed a sandwich. He didn’t look like any of the pictures they show of him in the history books.

      “I know that pictures can make you look like you gained ten pounds but, wait or is that TV?” he mused.

      “No that’s him, only it’s what he looked like before the super solider serum.” Phil said getting up and walking around the table to him, checking his pulse.

      “Say that five times fast.” Clint said to who he now knows as Natasha, with a smile. Her expression didn’t change from it’s deadpan look, making Clint’s smile fall away.

      “Captain? Captain Rogers, can you hear me?” Phil asked checking his pupils. Rogers gave a little mumble at light shining in his eyes. “Captain?”

      “Wha-what? Who are you?” he asked Phil groggily. Slowly sitting up, Steve tried to ease the wave of dizziness that came over him from lack of blood flow in his rather weak body.

      “You don’t remember me?” Phil asked, suppressing the slight sting of his hero not remembering him.

      “Uh no, sir. Sorry. Where am I?” Steve asked.

      “We don’t know.” Hearing the word ‘we’ had Steve looking up from the slightly balding but kind faced man in front of him to the other people at the table. Two were asleep but the other two were standing. They were staring at him, causing him to blush slightly. Clearing his throat slightly he spoke.

      “Hello, I’m Steve Rogers.” He introduced himself politely.

      “Clint Barton. And that’s Natasha Romanov.” Clint said pointing to the red head who pointed a glare at Clint.

      “Agent Phil Coulson, Captain.”

      “Captain?”

      “Right, you don’t remember. Don’t worry, none of us remember how we got here either.” Phil tried to reassure.

      “I don’t think that gonna make him feel better Agent.” Clint sassed. Before Phil could sass him right back, another of the occupants started stirring. The man in the purple shirt was waking up.

=A=

      Bruce was accustomed to waking up in strange places, as sad as it was to admit. _I guess I should just be grateful that I’m at least wearing clothes this time._ Lifting his head, he noticed he wasn’t sore or tired like he usually is when he transforms back. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he tried to remember what had happened. _Oh yeah…I guess I failed. Again._ Mentally sighing, he looked around hoping he ended up somewhere he recognized. _Or maybe not_. He thought looking around at all the white. He didn’t think he would get into heaven, you know cause of the whole suicide being a sin and all. _Why do I feel like I’ve said something like that before?_ Noticing that he wasn’t alone, had him second guessing his situation again. Four pair of eyes were currently staring at him. Awkwardly, he raised his hand as if to wave.

      “Hello.” It somehow came out sounding more like a question.

      “Dr. Banner?” the man in a plain black suit, and a receding hairline, but with a kind face, asked. Bruce couldn’t help himself from tensing up. People who usually recognized him were either former colleagues, or the military. Since he has never met this man before, it would be safe to assume he worked for the government in some form or another. Bruce was mildly surprised that this information didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would. So he decided to just go with. _Besides what more could the government take from me?_

      “Yes?” he replied.

      “Sup,” the taller blonde haired man greeted, “I’m Clint, this is Nat,” he pointed to the redhead whose glare could melt tungsten, “this is Phil,” he clapped the suit man on the shoulder, “and short stuff over there is apparently Captain America aka Steve.” Pointing lastly at the short blonde haired man that looked like good stiff wind could knock him over. The man, Steve, looked a bit miffed at being called ‘short stuff’. _Sore point huh? He looks incredibly malnourished. His slight hunch to his shoulders indicated that his back was bothering him, and by the way it was bowing could suggest some minor scoliosis._ Bruce’s medical side of mind couldn’t help firing off diagnoses about Steve.

      “Uh pleasure to meet you, I’m Dr. Bruce Banner.” Bruce said.

      “Great! Now just one to go.” Clint gave a grin and a pointed look to the mountain of a man still asleep.

=A=

      “Think it’s safe?” Clint asked from his kneeling position by the table. He was currently staring at the glass of water he noticed earlier. Water droplets slowly slid down the outside of the glass to form small puddles on the white table, yet there was no ice. Huh, weird.

      There was no clock to be found, and yes they’ve looked, but it must have been hours, according to Clint. In reality it couldn’t have more than an hour. In that time Clint and the rest of the strangers were trying to figure out where they were. Here’s what they found out so far; they have no clue where the hell they are. However, they did figure out some things, like they all vaguely remember someone, quite possibly a woman in white before waking up.

      Also, as Clint already deduced, there really are no windows or light fixtures, which fascinated Bruce the Brainiac, as Clint has dubbed him. Also everything was white. It came in slightly different shades so everything could at least be slightly distinguished from another, but that was about it in the color department. _This place could use a serious paint job. I mean seriously, who makes_ everything _white? Honestly. Even the damn appliances where damn white._ Clint scuffed in his head.

      They also found out that the table that they woke up at was similar to a kitchen table. Around them were counters (white) with appliances like a toaster, refrigerator, microwave and such (again all white). To Clint’s disappointment there was no food in the fridge or cabinets. Not even cups or silverware. _Or would that be whiteware?_ The only thing to indicate that there was at least something food like in this single colored place from hell, was this glass of water he was currently having a staring contest with.                                                                                                 

      “Well,” Bruce started to say, pushing his pleasantly discovered glasses up the bridge of his nose, “I don’t see any obvious tampering, like discoloration or odor, so I would theorize that, it’s safe enough to drink.” God Clint hoped so, cause he was _officially_ thirsty. Without giving himself time to second guess, he swiped up the glass and gulped down a large mouthful of…wonderful, glorious, cool, crisp water. Clint was almost embarrassed by the sigh that came out of him. Bruce next to him gave a slight chuckle at the young man that he was finding easy to get along with.

      “Found another room!” they heard Steve shout from somewhere. Oh yeah, they also found out that this kitchen room was not in fact the only room. They have found a living room with white (surprise) plush sofas and soft white carpet facing a large pull down movie screen, like ones you would find at a drive in, or smaller movie theater. Several rooms with identical arrangements of beds, side tables and dressers (all white and all empty) down a hallway. And now they have another room to add to the list of discoveries.

      Bruce and Clint, still clutching his glass, got up and headed to where they heard Steve’s voice, meeting up with Phil and Natasha. They found Steve standing in the doorway opposite the hall with all the bedrooms. Clint peeked over Steve’s head, which really wasn’t hard to do if he was being honest, to a rather large spacious bathroom.

      “Handy.” He said.

      “It’s quite large.” Steve said.

      “A shower seems to be missing though.” Remarked Phil. Natasha as usual didn’t comment. _She’s of the quiet sort._ Clint remarked in his head. Steve was about to ask why the only bathroom they’ve found so far had no shower, when a loud thump of someone hitting the table and a groan echoed out to them. They all turned towards the ‘kitchen’.

      “And that makes six.” Said Clint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Yes! Another chapter out, I'm on a roll:) I love how fast people are finding this story, you're even leaving kudos! Squeal! I hope my way of merging their thoughts so I'm not constantly having to switch POV's isn't confusing, but if it's I'll try find a way to make it less so.  
> I know, I know, 'When are you going to get to them watching their movies?!' 'Why are you making so many chapters of them just waking up and saying hello?!' 'What the hell is with all the white?!'  
> All your questions will be answered in due time, I hope. But in the mean time, how about you just leave a comment? huh huh wink wink tell me how I'm doing in interpreting their individual personalities? Is there something I need to add or missing? Tell me! Nitpick! but do it in a nice way please:)  
> So we finally got to the last Avenger waking up, and don't worry I will at some point add some other characters too, you know, hopefully. and I will most likely start with the rolling of the movies, so hang in there!  
> Again the only people proof reading this are me and my friend spellcheck, so I'll blame them on spellcheck;)


	4. Tickets Please

Thor had just stood up a little unsteadily from his seat, when the group of five unusual strangers made it to the entrance of the kitchen. Steve, at the front of the pack, watching in slight awe and intimidation as this behemoth of a man stumbled and grumble, seeming more disoriented than any of them were when they woke up. A few more staggering steps, and he looked up, his face hardening. Steve knew immediately that this could get ugly fast if someone didn’t try to calm him down. Steve Rogers being…well Steve Rogers, decided to take the lead. So when the blonde giant took a hulking step towards them, Steve stepped forward to meet him.

      “Hello. My name is Steve Rogers.” He said holding out his hand. He dropped it when it was obvious he wasn’t going to shake it, but he stopped advancing so Steve counted that as a small accomplishment. “I know you’re feeling confused and suspicious,” he continued, “but none of us,” gesturing to the group still behind him, “are going to harm you.” At this the giant gave a biting look of distain at Steve.

      “I doubt any mortal would be able to best the son of Odin. I do not how _you_ were able to capture me, but be warned I shall not go down without a fight.” His arrogant voice was booming.

      “Thor Odinson? My name is Phil Coulson.” Agent Coulson said as he stepped forward next to Steve.

      “I don’t know if or what you remember, but we have met before. In New Mexico, you fought a giant metal robot, that you said was called The Destroyer.” Thor’s skeptical look eased but into more confusion. Thor tried to think as far back as he could remember, to see if anything rang a bell.

      “If what you say is true Son of Coul, I have no memory of this. Which must mean my memories have been altered.” Thor still shot mistrustful looks at the rest of strangers.

      “Are you afflicted with the same loss of memory?” he directed this more to everyone, at their various forms of confirmations Thor added, “I believe this to be the work of a celestial being with immense power.” As he finished his statement everyone jumped when a giggling sound came from nowhere and everywhere at once. Everyone’s head whipped around looking for owner of musical laugh, some instinctually reached for their nonexistent weapons.

      “Oh Thor, you flatter me really.” A female voice said followed by another slight giggle. All of them whipped around back to the table. Standing there as if she has been there all along, was a long blonde haired woman in white.

=A=

      Bruce squinted at her for a few seconds, when a preverbal light bulb came on.

      “I know you…” he mumbled thoughtfully. He must have said it louder than he thought because Clint turned to him, then back to the woman. He too got a look of recognition.

      “Very good Bruce.” She clapped cheerily. The others too recognized her, one by one they remembered that she was the last thing each of them saw before waking up here.

      “Who are you?” It was surprisingly Natasha that asked.

      “Oh I have been called too many names to just pick one.” The woman tapped her chin thoughtfully in a rather exaggerated motion. “I know! How about Alice?” she said with a smile.

      “Alice?” Clint repeated, one eyebrow raised trying to guess how crazy this one was. She happily nodded. _Alice huh? More like the white rabbit. Why are all the women here either violent and homicidal or dopey and short a few arrows of a full quiver?_ He moaned in his head. The woman-Alice, gave another giggle as if she could hear his thoughts.

      “Lady Alice, are you the one to have brought us here?” Thor asked surprisingly cordial. The others were a bit stunned at the one eighty turn he took in his attitude, but Thor has learned that when dealing with powerful beings, especially female powerful beings, it is best to be as polite as possible. Events have a much better chance of ending happy then not.

      “Yup.” Alice said popping the ‘p’. When she didn’t continue, Clint crossed his arms.

      “Well are you going to tell us why, or what?” he said getting impatient in dealing with this whole thing. His head still hurt and be to honest being hungry tended to make him grumpy. Alice’s once jovial smile transformed into something more somber.

      “To save the future.” Her serious statement caused a foreboding chill to go down everyone’s spine.

=A=

      “What do you mean by that?” asked Phil.

“I cannot reveal everything to you guys Phillip, at least not right now.” Alice answered sympathetically. Clint rolled his eyes in an ‘of course’ kind of way.

      “Why ma’am?” Steve asked.

      “Well…” she seemed to be picking her words carefully, “let’s just say that there is someone or ones out there that thrive on chaos, death and destruction. They would love nothing more than to see you fail, and the future turn to black once again.” Looking at their shocked and concerned faces Alice smiled reassuringly.

      “Lucky for you though, I’m here!” she smiled. “I’m going to help you, to safeguard the future. I’ve have taken great pains to select the precise moment in your lives to bring you here. Look around, you amazing humans, all from different backgrounds, skills, time, even realms! Are going to save the world, insure the future.” She did a little dance in place.

      “I’ve got goosebumps just thinking of all the amazing things to come, that have happened, that are happening. Isn’t it a thrilling thought?” No one could reply, for they were still reeling at the thought that anyone could do something so grand. Well not _all_ of them, Thor has done some rather impressive saving in his thousand plus years. And Phil, though not one to toot his own horn, has also encountered some amazing things in his time.

      “You said to save the future, that you were going to help us do that,” Bruce said, at her nodding he continued, “ _How_ are you going to do that?”

      “By watching movies of course.” She answered as if explaining something very simple to a child.

 _Yup, defiantly crazy._ Clint thought.

=A=

      “This way, follow!” Alice said waving her hand in a ‘this way’ motion as she bounced by the group and toward the living room/theater like area.

      “Sit, sit! Find a seat, the show is about to start.” They sat on the sofa-ish movie chairs.

      “I’m sorry, but I still don’t follow.” Said Bruce.

      “I’m going to show you films. Of the future, _your_ future.” Bruce raised his eyebrows, he found himself both excited and scared. Scared of what she would show them. Before Bruce could ask another question, a loud and long growling sound was heard. Six pair of eyes turned toward Clint.

      “What? I haven’t eaten okay?!” Clint huffed.

      “Why didn’t you? You have a fully stocked kitchen.” Alice said. Clint gave her a look; all she did was stare at him in an innocent curious childlike way.

      “No, I didn’t eat, because that kitchen. Is. Empty.” He said the last bit slowly. Alice rolled her eyes.

      “No it isn’t. When you first woke up, you thought and I quote, ‘What I would give for some water’. And did water appear? Yes. Because you thought of water specifically. When you were rummaging through the cabinets, you weren’t thinking of anything specific, just food. Weren’t you?” Clint just dumbly nodded. _Well, how was I supposed to know I had to basically wish for the exact food I wanted._

      “Alright. I’ll wait to play the movie, well you cute chitlin’s get some snacks.” She said. Needless to say Clint was the first one out of his chair.

=A=

      “Okay, is everyone now ready?” Asked Alice. When Clint bolted out of his seat and into the kitchen the others decided that it was probably a good idea to grab something to eat as well. _We really don’t know long these ‘movies’ will last._ Bruce thought practically. Natasha seemed to be the most reluctant, not trusting anything she didn’t prepare herself, but she too got food, a bowl of some Bœuf Stroganoff. Clint had a large sandwich and coke. Thor had just a plate with meat and mead? Bruce had a dish made of only vegetables and some tea. Steve decided that since he could basically wish for anything he decided on a steak medium rare and a large glass of milk, luckily amidst his many maladies, lactose intolerance wasn’t one of them. Phil had pizza and ice tea.

      Alice took their silent munching for a yes.

       “Good.” clapping her hands, the screen began to lower.

      “Oh yes, just a few last things to mention. One, when watching these films feel free to talk, especially to each other, share opinions, bounce ideas off on another. Don’t worry about missing anything for it will pause automatically when you discuss and resume again when you’ve stopped. That includes things like snack runs and bathroom breaks. Two, you will notice while watching that it shows a certain individual who is not among us. Anthony Stark.” Said Alice with a slight regret in her voice.

      “Tony Stark?” Asked Clint.

      “Why would you include us and not him? Surely a man with his genius would be of great help.” Said Bruce. Sighing, Alice explained.

      “Mr. Stark, though quite the genius, is just not emotionally stable to enough to handle watching calmly as his life is played out for all to see and subsequently picked apart and analyzed. I have played out every possible future, and though he does do better in some, the result is still the same.”

      “Which is?” Bruce asked. Alice said nothing. _Apparently this was one of those things that she wouldn’t answer._ He thought.

      “Speak of the devil, Mr. Stark is actually the focal point in your first future film. So enjoy!” she said.

      “Wait, are you not going to stay?” asked Phil.

      “Oh no, I’ve seen them so many times by now that I can practically recite them by heart.” Everyone exchanged looks.

        _Aren’t these supposed to be about the future? Then how could she have seen them before? Is she also physic? Ugh brain hurt._ Clint thought. When they looked back at Alice, she was gone.

      “Freaky.” Clint said to Bruce, who nodded. Just then the bright white room mysterious lighting began to dim. The sound of some reels rolling could be heard and then screen lit up.

**At first all you could see was beautiful landscape of brown dessert and white snowcapped mountains. A trail of dust could be seen approaching made by a line of trucks driving down the dirt road. The slight sound of wind blowing by could be heard as the convoy continued down the road. It then switched to a front view of trucks as headed towards the screen. They were military hummers complete with antennas and a gunner on top. AC/DC’s Back in Black startled them as it suddenly came blasting through the unseen speakers. At the bottom of the screen words in white appeared; Kunar Province, Afghanistan.**

“Oh.” Phil said. He shook his head at their inquiring looks. “I’m sure it will explain it better than I can. Since every time we manage to get data on Stark, he just hacks our systems and deletes it. Then leaves an extremely annoying gif of cats or llamas for us when we try to access that information again.”

      **The convoy continued driving, passing a man on the side of the road walking a goat, before switching to the inside of one of the Humvees, showing a small boom box that was currently playing the music. Inside, three soldiers sat looking uncomfortable.**

“Are these your warriors?” asked Thor.

      “Yes of sorts,” answered Phil, “these are soldiers.”

**A young man sitting in the back seat, nervously looked at a hand holding a glass of whiskey. Panning up, it was none other than Tony Stark, wearing a suit and sunglasses. He was looking right back at them calmly. When the man saw he was caught staring he turned back to face the front.**

**“I feel like you’re driving me to court martial. This is crazy. What did I do? I feel like you’re going to pull over and snuff me.” Tony fired off rapidly, turning to the young man, he said, “What, you’re not allowed to talk? Hey, Forrest!”**

“He shouldn't be talking so rudely to them.” Steve remarked.

      “If you knew Stark sir, this quite mild of him.” Phil said.

      **“We can talk sir.” The man answered.**

**“Oh, I see.” Said Tony. “So it’s personal?”**

**“No, you intimidate them.” The driver replied in a feminine voice.**

Steve was a little surprised that a woman was driving. Not that he had anything against women being in the army, it just wasn’t a common sight in his time. _Well it is the future, things are bond to change._ He thought.

**“Good God, you’re a woman.” Tony said in mock shock, lowering his glass.**

**“I honestly…I couldn’t have called that. I mean, I’d apologize, but isn’t that what we’re going for here? I thought of you as a solider first.” Tony teased. The young man tried to suppress a smile, the older man in the front seat turned around with a smile.**

**“I’m an airman.” She said.**

**“You have, actually, excellent bone structure, there. I’m kind of having a hard time not looking at you now. Is that weird?” Tony teased breaking the tension by making them laugh. “Come on, it’s okay, laugh.”**

**“Sir, I have a question to ask.” The man up front said.**

**“Yes, please.”**

**“Is it true you went 12 for 12 with last year’s Maxim cover models?” he asked. Tony took off his glasses before replying.**

**“That is an excellent question. Yes, and no. March and I had a scheduling conflict, but fortunately, the Christmas cover was twins.” He said, making the drive smile.**

**“Anything else?” he asked, the young man raised his hand. “You’re kidding me with the hand up, right?”**

**“Is it cool if I take a picture with you?” he asked hopefully.**

**“Yes. It’s very cool.” Tony replied, and the man smiled eagerly getting his camera out of one of his many pockets.**

“That was nice of him.” Said Bruce. Steve agreed, though he was still conflicted on how he felt about this man. _That’s a small camera._ Steve thought.

**“Alright.” He said getting ready to take the picture, the young smiled and put up a peace sign.**

**“I don’t want to see this on your MySpace page.” Tony said.**

Clint gave low laugh at that.

      **“Please, no gang signs.” He said, the young man lowered his hand and his smile lessened some. “No, throw it up. I’m kidding.” The man’s smile widened even more than before as he held up his fingers again.**

**“Yeah, peace. I love peace. I’d be out of a job with peace.” Tony quipped.**

“What does he mean by that? I thought that Howard Stark was an inventor.” Steve asked.

“Well, he was.” Phil said, eager to answer his hero’s questions. “Howard Stark helped the army in WWII by building weapons, and continued to do so after the war. His son Anthony continued developing weapons when he took over the company.”

      Steve nodded in understanding.

**The older man was clearly having trouble taking the picture.**

**“Come on. Hurry up. Just click it. Don’t change any settings. Just click it.” The young man said trying to help as Tony patiently held his smile. The older man was about to click the button when the Humvee in front suddenly exploded.**

“Whoa!” Clint said. The others too were spooked at the sudden explosion.

**Back inside the Humvee with Tony, the driver tried to avoid the debris.**

**“What’s going on?” Tony asked worried.**

**“Contact left!” shouted the driver.**

**“What have we got?” Tony continued to try to get answers. The driver kicked opened her door and got out with her gun held ready but almost immediately was shot down.**

**“Jimmy, stay with Stark.” The older man shouted.**

**“Stay down.” Jimmy shouted pushing Tony’s head down.**

**“Yeah.” Looking up from his crouched position Tony saw the man lean on hood shooting when suddenly he was hit causing the front wind shield to crack. Tony bolted up right.**

**“Son of a bitch!” said Jimmy readying his gun and started to get out.**

**“Wait, wait, wait!” Tony shouted. “Give me a gun!”**

**“Stay here!” Jimmy shouted through the closed door. As soon as Jimmy turned something fired at the side of the Humvee hitting Jimmy and causing multiples holes. A ringing sound could be heard through the speakers and Tony blearily looked around. His face showed how scared he was as gun shots and fire exploded around him. He then decided to get out of the vehicle.**

“NO! Jimmy just said to not do that!” Clint shouted at the screen, forgetting that Tony wouldn’t be able to hear him.

      **An explosion nearby forced him back against the door.**

**“Tony!” someone could be heard shouting over the noise. Tony, recognizing the voice looked up and around. Spotting an African American man using a gun on top of the Humvee behind his, Tony shouted back. “Rhodey! Rhodey!” but this Rhodey wasn’t able to hear him. Another close explosion forced Tony to move and run towards a cluster of rocks and dived behind them.**

**He then whipped out a cell phone and began frantically dialing a phone number, when a missile shot by landing right beside him. Zooming in showed the Stark Industries logo on the side, and a very obvious ticking noise of a countdown could be heard. Tony was stunned for two seconds before he rapidly tried to get away. It wasn’t fast enough. The missile exploded and Tony was propelled backwards. He landed harshly on his back, and a ringing sound could be heard again, a little louder this time.**

**Tony blinked before lifting his head towards his chest. Spots of blood were quickly forming on his blue button up. He popped the buttons off, revealed a high tech looking vest that had obviously failed to stop the fragments from hitting him. Tony’s head fell back as the screen faded into a bright white light.**

**Faint voices could be heard speaking a foreign tongue as the bright light faded to show the brown mesh of a sack of some kind with a light shining through it.**

**It was suddenly ripped away and off, showing Stark's face, pale and cut up. He tried to blink away the spots from his eyes. His head lolled around, before stopping as he saw that men with their faces covered where standing all around him, and all of them were holding guns. When he noticed that this was all being recorded with a camcorder, an indescribable look showed on his face as he faced forward. The scene zoomed out, revealing a few more armed men, one was holding a piece of paper clearly reading from it in his language. A red banner behind them all had a symbol on it, of ten circles in a circle, each with a symbol in them as they surrounded, what looked like two crossed swords.**

**The music picked up, then the screen turned black with the sound of metal hitting metal and gold words appeared before slowly fading away again.**

**Iron Man.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why hello there! So? What do you think? Too descriptive? Not enough? More reactions and thoughts about the movie? Feedback people, I need feedback! Without it I will slowly wither away and die, so do me a solid by dropping a comment. Even if it's just one word like 'good' or 'sucked', just something! (grabs your shoulders and shakes)  
> *Cough* Right, so until next time! Hopefully the chapters will get longer now that I have the movie dialogue to work with and not just my own rambling imaginations.  
> Sorry about any bad grammar or miss spelling. I blame my non-existing beta for them:)


	5. Rock N' Roll

       Everyone was silent. Too stunned to speak, and all of them shocked. _Who were those men who kidnapped Tony? Was this in all the movies? Was this what was going to happen to them in the future? Or worse?_ Were just some of the thoughts circling through their heads.

 

      “Holy shit.” Clint, almost predictably, broke the silence.

 

      “Who were they? Those men who took Mr. Stark?” Steve asked no one in particular.

 

      “Well, if I had to make a guess, I would say they are the terrorist group known as the Ten Rings.” Phil answered. “S.H.E.I.L.D. has been monitoring them for years. However, they must be well funded or backed by a wealthy individual, because we’ve been having a hard time keeping track of them. If we’re lucky, we can disrupt a sale or take down a base, but they always crop back up again.” Phil wished he had a pen and paper or something to take down notes, names or even descriptions of everyone for future reference.

 

      “Why would they want to capture Stark?” Thor asked.

 

      “To build weapons for them.” Natasha said in a grave voice.

 

      “Oh boy. If even half the rumors are true on what Tony Stark can create…” Bruce trailed off ominously.

 

      “Come on, it does no good to make guesses when we have the answers here.” Steve said nodding toward the screen. Everyone agreed, so the movie started up again.

 

      **The screen was still black when an announcer’s voice was heard.**

**“Tony Stark. Visionary. Genius. American patriot.”**

**The screen faded in showing an applauding crowd, white words appear at the bottom, Las Vegas, 36 Hours Earlier. They watched a slide show up on stage. Slides of magazine pictures of Tony slid across. A black and white picture of an obviously young Tony came up, and the announcer continued.**

**“Even from an early age, the son of the legendary weapons developer, Howard Stark,” they showed another black and white this time of an older Howard Stark looking at the camera as he leaned against some blue prints. “Quickly stole the spot light, with his brilliant and unique mind.** ”

 

      **The scene switched to the crowd and focused on a man sitting at a table who had a bald head and a beard, then back to the presentation.**

 

**“At age four he built his first circuit board,” another black and white of Tony and another young man surrounded by computers, “At age six his first engine.” This time a picture taken from a Mechanics magazine cover showing Tony and Howard sitting on a motorcycle, with the title Chip off the old block; Six-year-old Tony builds first V8.**

**“And at 17 he graduated summa cum laude from MIT.” another magazine cover, this time from the MIT Technology Review, showed a teenaged Tony smiling as he rested a hand against the black board that had blueprints of a robotic arm. The title read, Tony Stark MIT Robotic Wunderkind. Then flashed a newspaper clipping of Tony kneeling by the completely made robot arm.**

“Wow.” Bruce breathed. _I knew Stark was brilliant, but to have started so young…_

**“Then, the passing of a titan.” The announcer said solemnly. Another newspaper with the title Howard and Maria Stark Die in Car Accident on Long Island; Nation Mourns Passing of Husband and Wife.**

Coulson was the first one to point out to Fury when he started, about the Stark ‘accident’. He believed that their deaths were orchestrated somehow, and made to look like an accident. Looking at the newspaper clipping, that same feeling arose. It was passed off, a ‘we’ll look into’ was given to him. He knew it was just code for ‘case already closed, drop it.’ The Starks deaths weren’t the only case files that got Phil’s attention in the same way, but knew better than to bring it up. So he made his only little file, he just couldn’t understand the connection these people had, or why they were killed.

**A picture of Howard standing next to a man who had his arm slung around his shoulders was shown next.**

**“Howard Starks lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane, steps in to help fill the gap left by the legendary founder.” A Newsweek magazine cover showed Stane as he looked now, standing over a small Earth with his hands on his hips, the title saying What’s Next.**

**“Until, at age 21 the prodigal son returns,” A young adult Tony looking over his shoulder at Stane who looked back over his shoulder, were shown on the cover of Forbes, reading The New Kid. “And is anointed the new CEO of Stark Industries.”**

**The scene switched to show the crowd and Stane applauding.  The announcer continued, “With the keys to the kingdom, Tony ushers in a new era for his father’s legacy. Building smarter weapons,” animated blueprints of a missile played, “advance robotics, satellite targeting,” showing the satellite zooming in on an area, “Today, Tony Stark has changed the face of the weapons industry,” a Rolling Stones cover showed Tony striking a pose, with the title Tony Stark Wants to Save the World. Multiple picture of Tony and his inventions congregated around it, creating the American flag. “by insuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe.” The pictures flipped, creating a powerful picture of Tony looking away from the camera with fighter jets on the ground, and in the air behind him.**

**The crowd applauded again, as the screen zoomed out to show the stage and people, Tony’s picture was then replaced by the Stark Industries logo. A spotlight illuminated a man in a military uniform standing at the podium holding a clear trophy. The podium had Caesars Palace on the front.**

**“As liaison to Stark Industries, I’ve had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot.” He began his speech.**

“Wait. I’ve seen that man. He’s the guy Tony was shouting at, Road right?” Clint said.

 

      “Your right Barton, that’s Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, nicknamed Rhodey by Stark. They became friends in college.” Phil said. “We have a file on him.” He said when he was given looks by the others.

     

      **“He is my friend and he is my great mentor. Ladies and gentleman, it is my honor to present this year’s Apogee award to Mr. Tony Stark.” He concluded and the crowd clapped.**

“That’s a very prestigious award.” Commented Bruce.

 

      “What’s it for?” asked Clint

 

      “They are awarded to people who are recognized as distinguished leaders who hold positions in the C-Suite of companies.” Bruce answered.

 

      Clint nodded in understanding, then stopped and asked, “C-Suite?”

 

      “The C stands for a high level position, like a CEO, Chairman, President. Those sort of people.” Bruce explained.

 

      **The crowd continued to clap but Tony didn’t stand up or make his way to the stage. Rhodes smile became a little more forced.**

**“Tony?” he said. Stane was shown shaking his head in the spotlight next to an empty chair, that was clearly supposed to house Stark. The crowd looked around as they were clapping, looking for the billionaire. Rhodey’s smile was now definitely a grimace. Stane decided to approach the stage, and shook Rhode’s hand.**

      “That was rude, not to show up.” Steve said a bit miffed.

 

      “If you knew Stark sir, you’d find this a common occurrence.” Said Phil.

**“Thank you, thank you very much.” He said holding the award. As they shook hands Rhode murmured ‘Thanks for the save.’**

**“Thank you, this is beautiful. Thank you all very much. Wonderful.” Stane said to the crowd as Rhodes stood back.**

“He can’t take he’s eyes off it.” Clint said. Steve suddenly got a feeling in his gut that he couldn’t explain. Phil could only look at the man who he knew would soon create such havoc.

**“Well I’m not Tony Stark.” The crowd politely laughed. “Uh, but if I were Tony I would tell you how honored I feel.” He looked back at the award. “And, uh, what a joy it is to receive this _very_ prestigious award.” Looking back again at the trophy. **

**“Tony, you know, the best thing about Tony is also the worst thing. He’s always working.”**

**The scene quickly shifted to Tony throwing dice onto a poker table.**

**“Work it!”**

**He was surround by people, most of them scantily clad women and two men in suits, one facing away and another who was cheering him on his roll. The people clapped and Tony playfully banged his forehead against the cheering suited man.**

**“Come on.” He said and casually leaned against the table. “Hi,” he started to say to woman on his left, but the woman on his right quickly turned by the shoulders, “I think we should just stay till morning.” The woman was rubbing his chest when Rhodey came up to stand right next to him.**

**“You are unbelievable. Unbelievable.” He said, as Tony groaned.**

**“Oh no, did they rope you into this?”**

**“Nobody roped me into anything. But they told me that if I presented you with an award you’d be deeply honored.”**

**“Of course I would. And it’s you, so that’s great. When do we do this?” Said Tony.**

**“It’s right here.” He said holding up the trophy same time Tony said, “Uh one more round.”**

**“There it is. That was easy.” Tony said taking the trophy. Rhodey gave him a look.**

**“I’m so sorry.” He said.**

**“Yeah It’s okay.” Rhodes said.**

**“Wow, that’s uh, that’s something.” He said barely even looking at it before casually handing it off to the woman who was rubbing his chest, “I don’t have any of those floating around.” He mumbled sarcastically.**

**“We’re going to let it ride!” he said louder, picking up the dice. “Give me hand will ya, just a little something-something.” Holding the dice to the woman, she saucily blew on the dice. “Okay you too.” Holding them up to Rhodes.**

**“I don’t blow on a man’s dice.” He said.**

**“Come on honey bear.” Tony jokingly coaxed.**

“Ha, honey bear.” Clint snorted.

 

      **“I don’t want to.” Rhodes said, knocking the dice out of Tony’s hands.**

**“There it is colonel Rhodes rolls and...” “Crap out!” the dealer said. Rhodes just impishly shrugs.**

**“That’s what happens.”**

**“Worst things have happened; I think we’ll be fine. Color me up William.” He said to the dealer.**

**“This is my exit.” Rhodey said shaking Tony’s hand as they were walking through the lobby, his body guards following. “Tomorrow. Don’t be late.”**

**“Ya you can count on it.”**

**“I’m serious!”**

**“I know, I know!”**

“Yeah right. Wanna bet he’ll be late?” Clint said to Bruce with a smile.

 

      “ **Render onto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. There you go.” he quoted as he passed a couple taking pictures with a fake Caesar and handing him the award flippantly. The fake Caesar held it up not sure on what just happened.**

“He just gave it away?” Clint said.

 

      “A real warrior does not need trophies, to boast his accomplishments.” Thor said, quoting his mother.

 

      “Whatever.” Clint shrugged.

 

      **Tony and his body guards were walking towards his fancy black car. Before Tony could get in, a voice shouted out his name.**

**“Mr. Stark! Excuse me, Mr. Stark!” a blonde woman in a suite was stopped from getting closer by one of his bodyguards. “Christine Everheart. Vanity Fair magazine, can I ask you a couple questions?”**

**“She’s cute.” Muttered the bodyguard holding the door. The same one who was cheering Tony on earlier.**

**“She’s alright?” Tony asked before turning back around. “Hi!”**

“Why should it matter what she looks like? Is there really so little respect in the future?” asked Steve.

**“Hi.” She replied.**

**“Yeah okay go.”**

**“You’ve been called the Da Vinci of our time. What do you say to that?” she asked with a fake smile as she held a recorder up.**

**“Absolutely ridiculous. I don’t paint.” He replied.**

Clint snorted and Bruce and Phil gave a smile.

**“And what do you say to your other nickname? The Merchant of Death.” She said dropping her smile as she said it.**

**“That’s not bad.” He said with a little head nod.**

Steve’s eyebrows rose at that. _Is proud of that nickname?_ He thought aghast.

**“Let me guess, Berkeley?”**

**“Brown actually.” She said, still not smiling.**

**“Well, Ms. Brown, it’s an imperfect world but it’s the only one we’ve got. I guarantee the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace, I’ll start building bricks and beams for baby hospitals.”**

**“Rehearse that much?” she snarked.**

**“Every night in the mirror before bedtime.” Tony quickly quipped.**

**“I can see that.”**

**“I’d like to show you first hand.” Tony easily flirted.**

**“All I want, is a serious answer.” Christine said, a smile back on her face.**

**“Okay, here’s serious. My old man had a philosophy, ‘Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy.”**

**“That’s a great line coming from the guy selling the sticks.” She sassed.**

**“My father helped defeat the Nazi’s, he worked on the Manhattan project. A lot of people including your professors at Brown would call that being a hero.” Tony said, cutting off the flirting.**

“We won?” Steve asked hopefully. The others minus Thor, who wouldn’t know, nodded.

 

      **“And a lot of people would also call that war profiteering.” She clearly determined to paint him in a bad light.**

**“Tell me,” Tony said getting angry and taking off his sunglasses, “you plan to report on the millions we’ve saved by advancing medical technology, or kept from starvation with our intel crops?” he said leaning into the mic to make sure he was being heard.**

**“All those breakthroughs, military funding honey.” He finished.**

**“Wow. You ever lose an hour of sleep your whole life?”**

**“I’m prepared to lose a few with you.” He flirted.**

**The scene quickly changed to them half naked and falling on his bed and making out, rather roughly.**

Steve couldn’t help the blush, and looked away. Clint whooped, and Bruce shyly looked down. The others were not as affected.

 

      **They continued to make out until they rolled of the bed and could hear Tony give a laughing yell.**

**=A=**

**Christine laid naked with only the sheet covering very little of her.**

Again Steve blushed and looked away, hoping there weren’t to many more scenes like these.

 

      **The lights suddenly turned on and a British man’s voice said, “Good morning.” Christine jerked awake.**

**“Its 7 Am and the weather in Malibu is 72 degrees with scattered clouds.” The male voice continued to inform, as the windows went from opaque to clear showing the sky outside and statistics on the window of the weather and conditions of the day. Christine sat up in awe with the sheet wrapped around her.**

**“The surf conditions are fair with waist to shoulder high lines; high tide will be at 10:52 a.m. …” the voice faded out as the shot facing Christine showed her awe before zooming out to show Stark’s mansion, resting on a cliff. Those white words showed on the bottom, reading Malibu, California.**

“Holy shit! I want his house!” Clint said. Everyone else besides Phil, who has already seen it, looked in awe of the size, location, and technology Stark’s place possessed. Even Thor was impressed by the advance technology the mortal possessed.

 

      **“Tony?” Christine called, wearing only Tony’s button up, as she walked into the living room. “Hey, Tony?”. Not finding him she decided to walk around. Looking up from the book she was flipping through, she saw a panel on the wall with a see through glass face and a dial. She bit her nail before going to turn the dial.**

**“You are not authorized to access this area.” The same vague British voice said as the panel flashed red, making her jump and back away.**

**“Jesus.” She muttered.**

**“That’s Jarvis.” A red head in a business skirt holding what looked like dry cleaning said from behind. “He runs the house.”**

**“I’ve got your clothes here. They’ve been dry cleaned and pressed and there’s a car waiting outside, waiting to take you anywhere you’d like to go.” She stated politely. Christine folded her hands and put on another fake smile.**

**“You must be the famous Pepper Potts.” She said walking over.**

**“Indeed I am.” Pepper replied with a genuine smile.**

**“After all these years, Tony still has you picking up the dry cleaning.” Christine said in a bitchy tone, and flung the cloths over her shoulder. Pepper’s face was shocked but still managed to keep her smile.**

**“I do anything and everything that Mr. Stark requires. Including, occasionally, taking out the trash. Will that be all?” she politely finished.**

“Whoa, go Pepper.” Mutter Natasha. Clint just laughed.

 

      “Who is she?” Steve asked.

 

      “She’s Stark’s PA. A Personal Assistant. Kind of like a live in secretary but she mostly keeps Stark in line.” Answered Phil.

 

      **Loud rock music and a man who wasn’t quite singing was heard as Tony was shown tinkering with an engine of a hot rod.**

“That’s music?” Steve asked dubiously.

 

      “Man, I am so jealous of Stark right now.” Clint said, with drool practically dripping from his mouth.

 

      “ **Give me an exploded view.” Tony said seemingly to the screen. It showed the engine he was currently working, before all the parts flew apart showing them individually.**

**“The compression in cylinder 3 appears to be low.” Stated Jarvis.**

“So cool.” Clint murmured.

 

      **“Log that.” He said. Pepper could be seen behind him through an all glass wall and door. She was holding the phone in one hand and punching in a code with the other. With a confirmed beep, the door opened and the music was turned down.**

**“I’m going to try again right now. I’ll keep you posted.” She said to whoever was on the other line before hanging up.**

**“Please don’t turn down my music.” Tony said without looking up.**

**“You are supposed to be half way around the world by now.” She said ignoring his comment.**

**“How’d she take it?” Tony asked, but sounding uninterested in the answer.**

**“Like a champ.” Pepper said with an exasperated huff.**

**“Why you trying to hustle me out of here?”**

**“Your flight was schedule to leave an hour and a half ago.” She informed.**

“Ha, told ya.” Said Clint. Bruce just smiled and shook his head.

 

      **“That’s funny. I thought, with it being my plane and all, that it would just wait for me to get there.” He remarked but Peppered seemed well practiced in tuning out his remarks.**

**“Tony I need to speak to you about a couple of things before I get you out of here.” She said, her clip board held ready.**

**“I mean doesn’t it defeat the whole purpose of having your own plane if it departs before you arrive?” Tony said, getting up from his kneeling position to sit on one of the tires and wiping his hand on a red rag.**

“He does have a point.” Clint said, seeming to be the most vocal about the movie so far.

 

**“Larry called, he has another buyer for the Jackson Pollock in the wings. Do you want it, yes or no?”***

**“Is it a fair representation of his Spring Period?”**

**“Uh no, Springs is actually the neighborhood in east Hampton where he lived and worked-“**

**“So?”**

**“-not Spring like the season. I think it’s a fair example, um, I think it’s incredibly overpriced.”**

**“I need it.” He said. Pepper got a fond and pleased smile on her face.** “Buy it. Store it.”**

“Yeah sure, buy really expensive art the heck of it? Why not? Bruce I wanna be a billionaire.” Clint whined, and Bruce just awkwardly patted his shoulder with a smile.

**“Okay. The MIT commencement speech-“ she continued down her list as they started to walk.**

**“Is in June. Don’t harangue me about stuff that’s way, way down.”**

**“Well they are haranguing me, so I’m going to say yes.” She said marking it down on her list.**

 

      **“Well deflect and absorb it.”**

     

**“I need you to sign this before you get on your plane.”**

      “They sound like a married couple.” Commented Natasha .

     

      “Right? You know I was just thinking that.” He said facing her. She just stared at him. _Jeez, try to be friendly to some people…_ he thought facing back towards the screen.

 

**“What are you trying to get rid of me for? You got plans?” he asked.**

**“As a matter of fact I do.”**

**“I don’t like when you have plans.” He said.**

**“I’m allowed to have plans on my birthday.” She said.**

**“It’s your birthday?” Tony asked.**

      Bruce saw the way Tony was looking at her. It may not have been how Hollywood would project it, but there was defiantly something to his look. _A love interest for Tony? Or am I just reading too much into a look?_

**“Yes.”**

**“I knew that. Already?” he asked squinting.**

**“Yeah, isn’t that strange? It’s the same day as last year.” She quipped with a small smile.**

**“Well, get yourself something nice from me.” He said.**

**“I already did.”**

**“And?”**

_That was definitely affection in that look._ Bruce thought.

 

      **“Oh it was very nice.” She said**

**“Yeah?”**

**“Very tasteful.” They were both smiling at each other.**

**“Thank you Mr. Stark.”**

**“You’re welcome Ms. Potts.”**

**Tony downed an expresso from a tiny cup and handed it to Pepper.**

**“Okay.” He said, and rock music started playing just before two cars zipped down a road along the coast, before pulling into a private air strip. The silver Audi’s license plate read STARK1. It stopped at the beginning of the red pathway up to the plane. James Rhodes in his uniform and sunglasses could be seen standing at the top of the stairway as the other car came to a stop. Tony got out of the Audi laughing.**

**“You’re good. I thought I lost you back there.” He said, his bodyguard from last night got out of the black car and headed for the trunk to get the luggage.**

**“You did sir. I had to cut across Mulholland.” He said popping his head up.**

**“Ah, I got cha, I got cha.” Tony said. They made their way towards the private jet.**

Clint gave an envious whimper.

**“What’s wrong with you?” Rhodes said.**

**“What?” Tony asked, only somewhat innocently.**

**“Three hours.”**

**“I got caught up doing a piece for Vanity Fair.” He said with a smirk.**

**“For three hours, you got me standing here?” he asked unbelieving.**

**“Waiting on you now. Let’s go. Come on.” Tony said as he passed him and got on the plane. He bodyguard carrying the luggage, not far behind.**

**“Wheels up! Rock and Roll!” Tony shouted from within as more rock music played.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! So I've decided to end it there because it seemed to be getting too long. I originally wanted to end where Tony gets kidnapped but I'll save that for the next chapter. So tell me what you think. Too long? More commentary?   
> I'm writing down what I hear when I watch the movie because close captioning isn't working for some reason, so I try to get the dialogue as close as to what's said as I possibly can. So sorry for any mistakes. Tell me the wrongs and rights of this chapter, or any chapter, and I hoped you enjoyed it. Till next time!  
>  *What is with Marvel and Jackson Pollock? It’s mentioned in Guardians of the Galaxy too.  
> **Sorry for all the asterisks but I think this scene is kinda sweet. Pepper curates all of Tony’s art, (as we find out in Iron Man 2) and I think she secretly wanted this piece for the collection, and Tony got it for her, even though he doesn’t’ really deal with the pieces he buys. I could just be reading way to into this but let me have my fantasy!


	6. Que the Villain Music

**The outside of Tony’s plane was shown as it reached its optimal altitude, the Stark Industries logo on the outside. The music faded out as the scene switched to inside the plane, where Rhodey and Tony were sitting at a table, and a stewardess was giving them silverware. Rhodes was reading the paper as Tony returned the flirty smile of the stewardess.**

“There’s a frickin bar in his plane.” Clint lamented.

**“What cha reading, platypus?” Tony asked once the stewardess walked away.**

**“Nothing.” Rhodes said not looking up from his paper.**

**“Come on sour patch. Don’t be mad.” Tony taunted.**

**“I’m not sour. I’m not mad. I told you I’m indifferent, okay?” He insisted, not sounding convincing.**

“What’s with the weird nicknames?” Natasha questioned.

 

      “He does that with everyone.” Phil simply said.

 

      “Aye I agree, for what is a plate of pus?” Thor asked.

 

      “It’s actually platypus,” Bruce explained as Clint snickered in the background, “it’s the only mammal on earth that lays eggs.” Thor stared at him in silence.

 

      “You have very strange creatures on Midgard.” He said before returning to the screen.

 

      “ **I said I was sorry.”**

**“Good morning Mr. Stark.” A different stewardess said, also with a flirty smile.**

**“-you’re a grown man.” Rhodey’s lecturing could be heard but was ignored by Tony.**

**“Hi, I told him I was sorry.” Tony said to her.**

**“Hot towel?” she asked.**

**“Yes.”**

**“-I’m just indifferent right now. You don’t respect yourself, so I know you don’t respect me.” He continued.**

**“I respect you.” Tony insisted.**

**“I’m just your babysitter, so you know when you need your diaper changed-Thank you-“he said reaching for a towel, “let me know, and I’ll get you your bottle, okay.”**

**“Hey! That reminds me. Heat up the sake will ya?” he said to a stewardess. “Thanks for reminding me.”**

**“No I’m not- We’re not drinking; we’re working right now.”**  
  


**“You can’t have sashimi without sake.”**

**“You are constitutionally incapable of being responsible.” Rhodes reprehended.**

**“It would be irresponsible not to drink. I’m just talking about a night cap!” Tony tried to convince.**

**“Hot sake?” a third different stewardess asked.**

      “How many hot chicks does he have on that plane?” Clint uttered.

 

      **“Yes. Two, please.” Tony answered.**

**“No I’m just-I’m not drinking. I don’t want any.” He said.**

**“That’s what I’m talking about!” he shouted over loud music. Both him and Tony had drinks in their hands as they sat on the leather sofa.**

**“When I get up in the morning, I put on my uniform, you know what I recognize?” he said animatedly. “I see in that mirror that every person-“**

**“Oh boy here we go.” Tony moaned.**

**“-that got this uniform on has got my back!”**

**“Hey you know what, I’m not like you. I’m not cut out-“ Tony started but was cut off.**

**“No, no you don’t have to be like me, but you are more than what you are, you just don’t see it!”**

**“Would you excuse me, I’m a little bit distracted here.” Tony said, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation, as pole rose up and the three stewardesses from before started to dance around and with it, holding drinks and their shirts tied up.**

**“No you can’t be distracted!” he continued as the music got louder and the scene switch to outside the plane as it flew onward. Only to switch to a military base where the plane landed. White letters once again appearing at the bottom telling them that they were now at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. Tony walked down the steps from his plane in a suit and sunglasses, looking fresh and alert despite all the drinking.**

**“General.” He greeted.**

**“Welcome Mr. Stark. I look forward to your weapons presentation.” The general said shaking his hand, before Tony moved on to the next military leader greeting him in his native language. Rhodey appeared at the top of the stairs, looking a little hungover.**

“How many languages can Tony speak?” Bruce asked.

 

      “Including English, Stark speaks about ten languages fluently. There are few others’ he has a passing knowledge of.” Phil answered.

 

      “Damn.” Clint said. Bruce and the others were impressed. Even Natasha was silently impressed.

 

      **The scene switch to Tony standing in front of a beautiful mountain range.**

**“Is it better to be feared, or respected?” he said to start his speech, “I say, is it too much to ask for both? With that in mind, I humbly present the crown jewel of Stark Industries Freedom Line. It’s the first missile system to incorporate our proprietary repulsor technology.” Rhodey was shown among the general and other military personal, before switching back to Tony.**

**“They say the best weapon is one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I _prefer_ the weapon you only have to fire once. That’s how dad did it. That’s how America does it. And it’s worked out pretty well so far.” His voice had been rising before becoming calm again with the last line. **

Steve was having a hard time figuring Stark out. He wasn’t agreeing with a lot of what he was doing or saying, but Steve was still trying to keep an open mind.

 

      **“Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee you, the bad guys won’t even want to come out of their caves.” He flourished a hand and a rather intimidating looking missile whirred and pointed off into the distance. A rotating shot of the weapon only emphasized the advance design and technology it possessed. One of the missiles turned on and shot off into the air. It then broke off into multiple smaller missiles that had their own propulsions and spread out along the mountain.**

**“For your consideration, the Jericho.” Tony said, raising his arms just as the tiny missiles hit the mountain. The explosions started out small before quickly growing and the wave of energy was visible as it travelled all the way back to the group. It hit hard enough to push Tony a step or two forward and knocked off everyone’s hats.**

 

      “Oh my god.” Steve muttered in shock.

 

      “Holy crap.” Clint said louder.

 

      “And that was one of his older designs.” Phil said.

 

      Steve was in shock at what he saw. The destructions Stark's invention could create left him uneasy. _What if that fell into the wrong hands?_ He couldn’t help but think.

 

      Thor too was shocked, having no idea how far the humans of earth have advanced in (to him at least) such a short time.

 

      **A silver box with the Stark Industries logo mechanically opened, letting out mist and revealed glasses of alcohol.**

**“I’ll be throwing on of these in with every purchase of 500 million or more.” Tony said nonchalant, and grabbed a glass. “To peace!” he said raising his glass and taking a sip. The military group were all murmuring excitedly behind him.**

Steve nearly choked on his own spit at the price of 500 million, not even able to fathom that much money.

**Tony’s phone buzzed and he answered it with one hand while still drinking with the other. On the small screen Stane could be seen lying in bed with no shirt.**

**“Tony.” He said.**

**“Obie, what are you doing up?” Tony said.**

**“I couldn’t sleep till I found out how it went. How’d it go?”**

**“It went great. Looks lit it’s gonna be an early Christmas.” Tony answered, as he approached a familiar looking Humvee.**

**“Hey! Way to go, my boy! I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”**

_No you won’t, and you know it you bastard._ Phil’s thought with a surprising amount of protectiveness.

 

      **“Why aren’t you wearing those pajamas I got you?” Tony joked affectionately.**

**“Good night, Tony.” He said and Tony hung up. As he was getting in the vehicle, Rhodey could be heard shouting.**

**“Hey, Tony.” Rhodes got to the door after it closed. Tony stuck his head out.**

**“I’m sorry, this is the “fun-vee.” The “hum-drum-vee” is back there.” He quipped almost instantly.**

**“Nice job.” Was Rhodey said. Tony a got a pleased look though he hid it well.**

**“See you back at base.” Tony said. The Humvees were shown driving down a dirt road, with Back in Black playing.**

“Oh man, she’s gonna make us watch this again?” Clint asked slightly distressed. The others not too happy about it either.

 

      **Just like before, the Humvee exploded. A shaky, blurred shot of Tony was shown. Gunfire and voices could be heard in the background. The shaky scenes kept switching back and forth between Tony and unknown people who looked to be operating on him. They were placing a round metal disc of some kind with wires sticking out, into his chest. Without anesthesia. Tony’s screaming was soon cut off after one of the men put a cloth over his face.**

“Jesus.” Steve said.

 

      “What the hell is wrong with these people?” Clint said.

 

      “Anesthesia was clearly not used. Did they put him under using, chloroform?” Bruce asked incredulously. He had to work hard to keep his breathing slow and calm.

 

      “Did you know about this?” Bruce asked Phil.

 

      “No. We have the bare bones of what happened to Mr. Stark in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, Stark enjoys hacking our advance security measures for fun, and then he erases any information about himself and Ms. Potts that he doesn’t want us to know about.” Answered Phil, in a slightly exasperated tone.

 

      “He also likes to put in its place gifs of llamas with Director Fury’s face pasted on them. Whenever we try to access that information the gifs will pop up on every screen in a twenty foot radius, of whatever terminal we used.” He finished in a deadpan voice. The others were in awe of Tony’s hacking ability, and guts to do this. Clint just found it hilarious.

 

      **Tony was then shown to be passed out on a cot, with a small tube sticking out of his nose, but he soon jerked awake, panting. He winced as he started to pull the tube out.**

“Ew.” Clint said.

 

      “It had to be done. You want him to breathe, right?” Bruce said.

 

      **Looking to his left, he saw a cup of water. Flexing his hand he reached out for it, only to knock it off the side table. He coughed, vapor escaping his mouth showing how cold it was. Tony froze though when he looked up to see an older man, with glasses and a balding head of hair, shaving and humming to himself.**

**Seeing as he wasn’t paying Tony any attention, he tried to reached with his right hand for the other cup, but was stopped by some wires that were attached to something.**

**“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The man said as he continued to shave.**

**Tony turned back over. To his and everyone’s horror he saw a car battery. Following the wires, he let out a distressed sound, finding that they lead to his chest. Feeling something hard underneath, Tony started to rip off the gauze, reavealing the round metal disc, with bolts wires. The tissue around the circle was scarred and inflamed.**

“Is that rust?” Steve asked in horror.

 

      “You Midgardians have barbaric healing practices.” Thor said with distaste.

 

      **The man was shown whistling while cooking beans in a pan over the fire. Tony was now sitting up in the cot, holding a piece of broken mirror up so he could see his chest better.**

**“What the hell did you do to me?” Tony breathed.**

**“What I did?” The man asked, chuckling. “What I did is to save your life. I removed all the shrapnel I could, but there’s a lot left, and it’s headed into your atrial septum.” The scene showed Tony moving the mirror down to show the hodge podge of metal now lodged in his chest.**

“A part of his heart.” Bruce said before Clint could even ask.

 

      **“Here, want to see? I have a souvenir. Take a look.” The man jiggled a bottle so it made a small tinkling sound before tossing it to Tony. Tony held it up to the light, showing small jagged pieces of metal.**

**“I’ve seen many wounds like that in my village. We call them the walking dead because it takes about a week for the barbs to reach the vital organs.”**

**“What is this?” Tony asked in a dead voice.**

**“That is an electromagnet, hooked up to a car battery, and it’s keeping the shrapnel from entering you heart.” The man answered with a hum.**

“Jesus.” This time Bruce was the one to utter in shock. “They must have had to take out a significant amount of muscle and bone to fit that in his chest.”

     

**Tony was zipping up he jacket when a light caught his eye. It came from a camera mounted on the cave wall. The looked to where Tony was staring.**

**“That’s right.” He said turning back around. “Smile.”**

“This guy needs an attitude adjustment.” Clint muttered a bit peeved with the man, even though he did say he saved Tony’s life.

**“We met once, you know,” The Man continued, “at a technical conference in Bern.”**

**“I don’t remember.” Tony said quietly.**

**“No, you wouldn’t.” He chuckled. “If I had been that drunk, I wouldn’t have been able to stand, much less give a lecture on integrated circuits.”**

“I don’t know whether to be impressed or disapproving.” Bruce muttered.

 

      “A bit of both perhaps.” Natasha stated.

 

**Tony didn’t seem to be paying attention that much, instead was looking at his surroundings.**

**“Where are we?” he asked.**

**The Man was about to answer, when a loud metal clang caught his attention. The peep hole on two huge metal doors was opened, and man’s upper face could be seen. He shouted something that wasn’t translated, but it had made The Man distressed.**

**“Come on, stand up. Stand up!” he whisper yelled to Tony, as the man at the door could still be heard talking. The Man grabbed Tony’s arm and hauled him up.**

**“Just do as I do.” He said. “Come on, put your hands up.” Tony complied. Six men with guns entered, and Tony’s expression became more distraught.**

**“Those are my guns. How did they get my guns?” he muttered.**

**“Do you understand me? Do as I do.” The Man pressed.**

**The man in front raised his arms and began to speak as though he was welcoming an old friend. When he was done he gestured to The Man to translate.**

**“He says, ‘Welcome, Tony Stark, the most famous mass murderer in the history of America.’” The Man began to translate, while the other man continued to speak.**

**“He is honored.” Tony face became more perturbed.**

**“He wants you to build the missile. The Jericho missile that you demonstrated. This one.” The other man handed a picture of the missile to The Man, who showed Tony.**

**Tony looked at it, than back at all the men before resting on the apparent leader.**

**“I refuse.” He said defiantly. The other man face quickly morphed into shocked anger.**

**Tony’s head was then shown to be shoved in water, a hand holding him by the hair, keeping his head under. They lifted his head long enough for Tony to get one gasping breath before be shoved back under. A bald man wearing a scarf was shown briefly, the others weren’t sure why he specifically was being shown.**

**Large bubbles were escaping Tony’s mouth as he screamed under water, because he electromagnet was shocking him. A brief image of a glowing disc was shown. And a woman’s voice could be hear shouting ‘Tony!’, before his head was pulled back up with the men holding him shouted at him.**

_Was that Pepper he was hearing?_ Thought Bruce.

 

      **Another sack was put on his head, and was being pushed and shoved by armed guards through poorly lit tunnels, until they opened up to the outside. The bag was whipped off, and Tony was temporarily blinded by the bright sun. But when his vision cleared, Tony stood shocked at all the men and weapons. The guard next to him became inpatient and slapped the back of his head so hard he stumbled forward, clutching the car battery. He still could not take his eyes away from all the artillery.**

**Walking forward, he notice to his horror, that all the boxes, cases and missiles had the Star Industries logo on them. And there were a lot of boxes. The Apparent Leader stared at him and spoke. The Man translated.**

**“He wants to know what you think.”**

**“I think you got a lot of my weapons.” Tony said. The Man translated, and the Apparent Leader continued to speak.**

**“He says they have everything you need to build the Jericho missile. He wants you to make a list of materials.” The Man said to Tony. “He says for you to start working immediately, and when you’re done, he will set you free.”**

**The Apparent Leader stuck out his hand, and Tony grasped it with a forced smile.**

**“No he won’t.” Tony said still smiling.**

**“No, he won’t.” The Man agreed, giving a smile and a head nod to the Apparent Leader, who got a very pleased grin on his bearded face. Tony lost his smile as he looked around at the vast mountains and the extensive amount of armed men occupying them. The bald man with a scarf was shown once again, standing on a rock formation looking down at Tony.**

**=A=**

**Tony sat staring at the fire in the pit, wearing a beanie and gloves. His neatly trimmed goatee was starting to look scruffy as hair started to grow back.**

**“I’m sure they’re looking for you, Stark. But they will never find you in these mountains.” The Man said. Tony continued to stare at the fire in silence. The Man crouched down to where Tony was sitting.**

**“Look, what you just saw, that is your legacy, Stark. Your life’s work in the hands of those murderers. Is that how you want to go out? Is this the last act of defiance of the great Tony Stark? Or are you going to something about it?” The Man continued.**

“Okay Dr. Dick is starting to piss me off.” Clint declared.

 

      “He’s trying to rouse Stark into fighting back.” Natasha said. “Also, Dr. Dick?”

 

      “What? I don’t know his name.” Clint defended.

**“Why should I do anything? They’re going to kill me, you, either way. And if they don’t, I’ll probably be dead in a week.” Tony said in a wearisome tone.**

**“Well, then, this is a very important week for you, isn’t it?” The Man said with a pointed look. At that, Tony’s gaze rose from the fire and a determined look in his eye.**

 This relieved Steve. For however much he found Stark to be questionable in character, he still didn’t want the man to die.

**Many men started to carry in missiles and crates. Everyone was frantically moving about picking up and putting down equipment. Tony stood in the middle of the all the activity, in his element, rapidly firing off orders. The Man tried to translate as fast as Tony was speaking.**

**“If this is going to be my work station, I want it well-lit. I want these up. I need welding gear. I don’t care if it’s acetylene or propane. I need a soldering station. I need helmets. I’m gonna need googles. I would like a smelting cup. I need two sets of precision tools.” He ordered confidently.**

“He is surely not going to give into these criminals demands?” Thor asked incredulously.

 

      “No, he’s not.” Phil said, with a small smile.

 

      **Tony was shown unscrewing the top of a missile, The Man standing up next to him.**

**“How many languages do you speak?” Tony asked working on the next screw.**

**“A lot.” He said. “But apparently, not enough for this place. They speak Arabic, Urdu, Dari, Pashto, Mongolian, Farsi, Russian.” Tony was now pulling out the guts of the missile.**

**“Who are these people?” He asked.**

**“They are your loyal customers, sir. They call themselves the Ten Rings.” The screen panned up to the buzzing camera. Three men could be seen watching the camera was showing them, the Apparent Leader being one of them.**

**The Man crouched down, to where Tony was working on another missile.**

**“You know, we might be more productive if you include me in the planning process.” He said.**

**“Yeah huh.” Tony distractedly muttered. He started to pound on the head of the very large missile, making The Man wince, until the head came off.**

“You sure he knows what he is doing?” Clint asked no one in particular.

 

**He pulled out some of the innards and placed it on the table. Using pliers, wiggled something until it came off.**

**“Okay, we don’t need this.” He said, casually tossing the large piece of missile over his shoulder.**

**“What is that?” The Man asked. Tony held the plier up so The Man could see the piece better.**

**“That’s palladium, 0.15 grams. We need at least 1.6, so why don’t you go break down the other 11?” Tony said.**

**A guard was watching the video feed as The Man handed Tony another metal piece from a missile.**

**“What is he doing?” asked another guard who was by the fire pit.**

**“Working.” The first guard simply said.**

**Tony was kneading what looked like red clay in a pot, before he grabbed a handful and pushed it down into a cup. A metal cylinder was then put in the middle, Tony tapping the sides. The Man then picked up a cup from the fire with some long pliers, and headed to the table.**

**“Careful. Careful, we only get one shot at this.” Tony fretted behind him as he watched, the car battery slung over his shoulder.**

**“Relax. I have steady hands. Why do you think you’re still alive?” he calmly joked. Tony moved to the table first and put the heavy down. He leaned forward as The Man started to steadily pour the liquefied metal into the ring indentation in the clay.**

**“What do I call you?” Tony asked.**

**“My name is Yinsen.” He said.**

**“Yinsen. Nice to meet you.” Tony said, as Yinsen finished pouring.**

**“Nice to meet you, too.” He said with a smile.**

“Finally we get a name! And I was close.” Clint said.

 

      “How is Dr. Dick close to Yinsen?” Asked Bruce.

 

**Tony careful picked up the solidified metal ring with some tweezers, and placed it on top of a round piece of glass he held up with his other hand. He was then shown soldering another metal ring, using a magnifying glass, blew away the smoke. Different sized metal rings were shown, sort of lined up in a certain order. Blue illuminated cords were then shown hooked up to the finished product. Tony turned a dial, and the lights dimmed as the cylinder started to glow blue then got so bright it was almost white. Blue light lit up Tony’s face, showing a satisfied smirk.**

“Is that-no it can’t. How?” Bruce said in disbelief.

 

      “Is what how?” Clint asked.

 

      “He couldn’t have with what he had to work with. Could he?” Bruce continued to mumble, seeming not to have heard Clint.

**“That doesn’t look like a Jericho missile.” Yinsen said, as he leaned down to get a better look.**

**“That’s because it’s a miniaturized arc reactor.” Tony said.**

“He did!” Bruce said excitedly, and still in disbelief.

      “Hello! Did what?” Clint said, miffed his new friend wasn’t answering him.

 

      “That’s amazing.” Bruce said. Clint crossed his arms, and, he would deny it, pouted.

 

      **“I got a big one powering my factory at home. It should keep the shrapnel out of my heart.” Tony explained.**

**“But what could it generate?” Yinsen asked.**

**“If my math is right, and it always is, three gigajoules per second.” Tony said.**

Bruce gave a choked excited whimper.

 

      “I’m guessing that’s a lot.” Steve muttered to Phil. Phil nodded, not because he really knew, but because he didn’t want his hero to think he wasn’t listening. Phil was actually tickled pink that Steve was talking to him, though he hid it well.

 

      **“That could run your heart for 50 lifetimes.” Yinsen said in awe.**

**“Yeah.” Tony said casually. “Or something big for 15 minutes.”**

**Tony proceeded to grab sheets of paper and walked over to another table, Yinsen following. He placed them on top of each other and turned on a lamp.**

**“This is our ticket out of here.” Tony whispered.**

**“What is it?” Yinsen asked.**

**“Flatten them out and look.” He said, but did it himself instead. When they aligned they showed a rather impressive and menacing looking suit of armor.**

**“Oh, wow.” Breathed Yinsen. “Impressive.”**

 

      **Outside the snow picked up. Inside, the video feed showed Yinsen helping Tony to sit up from the cot, circle of light where the magnet use to be.**

**Tony rolled a pair of dice onto a backgammon board, and moved on of the washers they were using a pieces.**

**“Good. Good roll. Good roll.” Yinsen complimented.**

**“You still haven’t told me where you’re from.” Tony said, as Yinsen was shaking the dice.**

**“I’m from a small town called Gulmira. It’s actually a nice place.” He said.**

**“Got a family?”**

**“Yes, and I will see them when I leave here.” Yinsen said.**

That last bit had Natasha’s eyebrows raised just a bit. _Didn’t he say they wouldn’t let Tony go when he was done?_ It made her suspicious for multiple reasons. All of them not very good.

 

      **“And you, Stark?” Yinsen asked. Tony looked up, mouth twitched and he gave shrug.**

**“No.” he muttered.**

Steve could sympathize, both parents dead, and no relatives. But at least he had Bucky.

 

      **“No? So you’re a man who has everything and nothing.” Yinsen said wisely.**

**The Apparent Leader and two guards approached the metal doors to Tony and Yinsen’s cell. He flipped the eye flap open and peeked inside. Satisfied to see Tony welding and Yinsen organizing he flipped it closed and nodded to the guards, before they walked off again.**

**The screen panned over all the parts Tony was building for the suit, until it reached him at the end of the table. He was finishing welding something, when done he pushed his goggles up on his head and plugged in a cord to pressurized canister.**

     

      **The guards were watching from the surveillance room, holding up a picture of the Jericho missile to the screens and comparing parts.**

**“It doesn’t look anything like the picture.” The Apparent Leader said.**

**“Maybe it’s been modified.” One guard suggested.**

**“The tail is wrong.” Leader said.**

**“It’s just backwards.” The guard said, flipping the picture. As they were arguing, the screen panned up and away from them, to the same bald headed scarf wearing man. He stood behind them, staring at the screen suspiciously, as he fiddled with a large ring on his right hand. By what the screen was showing, Tony sitting on the table with a piece of the suits legs on his leg as he tested it, and Yinsen monitoring it with the computer, it was obvious they weren’t building a missile.**

“This guy is bad news.” Steve said.

 

      “Oh good. It’s not just me.” Said Clint.

 

      **The flap on the door was once again flipped open, and the Apparent Leader shouted through the gap. Tony looked up and turned off his welding gear. More guards then ever before entered, as Tony and Yinsen put their hands on their heads. The guards all lined up on the sides and the scarf man walked in.**

**He looked at Tony and said in English, “Relax.” Tony uncertainly lowered his arms as he looked at Yinsen.**

**The man walked up to Tony and pulled down his shirt just enough to expose the white blue glow of the arc reactor.**

**“The bow and arrow once was the pinnacle of weapons technology.” He began.**

“Hey!” Clint said, but the others ignored him.

 

      **“It allowed the great Genghis Khan to rule from the Pacific to the Ukraine.” He said as he walked around. Tony stared at him uncertain of where this was going.**

**“An empire twice the size of Alexander the Great and four times the size of the Roman Empire.” He then picked up some of the blueprints for the suit. Tony gave a worried look towards Yinsen, but he made a subtle hand gesture to relax.**

**“But today, whoever holds the latest Stark weapons rules these lands. And soon, it will be my turn.” He finished menacingly, as he stared at Tony.**

**“Why have you failed me?” he said in his language, obviously directed at Yinsen.**

**“We’re working. Diligently.” Yinsen insisted.**

**“I let you live.” Tony stared worriedly as the actual leader of the bad guys approached Yinsen. “This is how you repay me?”**

**“It’s very complex. He’s trying very hard.” Yinsen tried to appease him.**

**“On his knees.” The Leader said. Two guards grabbed Yinsen and forced him on his knees. Tony fidgeted, wanting to help but not sure how.**

**“You think I’m a fool? I’ll get the truth.” He said, messing with something they couldn’t see.**

**“We’re both working.” Yinsen insisted. The Leader then turned around, blowing on a red hot coal he picked up pliers.**

**“Open your mouth.”**

“Oh man.” Clint muttered.

 

      **“What does he want?” Tony asked, staring at the Leader.**

**“You think I’m a fool?” he said lowering Yinsen’s head onto anvil. “What’s going on? Tell me the truth.”**

**“He’s building your Jericho.” Yinsen said. The Leader asked again and Yinsen gave the same answer. The Leader kept asking getting louder, but Yinsen gave him the same answer. Tony finally had enough of seeing his friend threatened.**

**“What do you want? A delivery date?” Tony snippily asked, taking a step forward. That turned out be a mistake, because as soon as he moved every gun was pointed at him and yells were sounded all around.**

**“Jeez.” Tony said, holding up his hands. The Leader looked at him expectantly.**

**“I need him.” Tony said looking at Yinsen, before turning his gaze to the Leader. “Good assistant.”**

**The Leader dropped the coal on the anvil right in front of Yinsen’s nose.**

**“You have till tomorrow to assemble my missile.” He said, throwing the pliers away, and walking out. Tony’s expression was mix of anger, worry, and determination. Their deadline had been set, and they still had a lot of work to do.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Hope this chapter seems nice and long to you guys, thanks for waiting so patiently. You guys are awesome! What do you guys think of me adding more characters, like Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, Ant-man, Falcon? Have some more voices react to the movies? Let me know. Also tell me if I'm doing good so far, or if I need to change some things. Good, bad, let me know:) Again all mistakes are on me. And spellcheck. Mostly spellcheck.   
> Oh yeah! I got the closed caption to work, woohoo! So there should be fewer dialogue mistakes, which makes me happy:) Next up Iron Man mark 1 suit!


	7. What a Bang

“Captain Rogers?” Phil asked, turning to Steve.

 

      “Uh yes?” Steve answered, still not sure why Phil kept calling him Captain.

 

      “Do you think you could sketch that man’s face?” Steve’s eyebrows rose at the request.

 

      “Well, yes, I suppose. However, I would need paper and a pencil.” As soon as the last word left his mouth, a drawer that everyone was sure wasn’t there before, popped out of the wall. Phil was the one to get up and investigate. He stood there for a second before picking up, as you would believe, paper. He turned around holding the paper up towards them. The first sheet had words written on it.

 

      “Here ya go, smiley face.” Clint read aloud, shaking his head. “What no pencils with cartoons on them?” he asked sarcastically. When Phil gave him a look, Clint just looked at him in slight disbelief.

 

      “No way.” And sure enough, Phil turned back around with a handful of colorfully wrapped pencils. “What is wrong with that lady? What do we look like, a bunch of six year olds?” Clint said, as Phil just handed the paper and pencils to Steve, who gave small thank you.

 

      “You don’t want me to answer that.” Natasha said when Clint looked her way. Steve had begun to sketch the scarf man’s profile, and everyone took the opportunity to use the restrooms and grab more snacks and drinks. Thor was one of the first to return, and he came up behind Steve’s chair to look over his shoulder.

 

      “Astonishing.” He said, causing Steve to jump slightly and crane his neck up to look at Thor.

     

      “You have the gift of a magnificent artist Steven.” He said sincerely, causing Steve to blush. The others than began to crowd around him, to look at his work.

 

      “Man you got talent.” Clint said sipping a soda. Steve’s blush darkened as everyone else praised his work. He wasn’t used to people showing open appreciation for his work. _Well besides Bucky._ Their compliments were well founded though. His work, with only a pencil, showed such detail, including the texture of the man’s scarf and accurate proportions of his facial features.

 

      “Perfect. May I?” Phil asked holding out his hand, and handed him the portrait. “Yes I’m sure this will work great.”

 

      “Thank you, sir. Why did you want a sketch, if you don’t mind me asking?” Steve inquired.

 

      “Please call me Phil. I wanted a sketch so I could run it through facial recognition.” Phil answered.

 

      “Smart.” Natasha commented.

 

      “Thank you.” Phil said giving her his signature mild manner smile. Steve just nodded along. _Facial recognition?_ He thought.

 

      “Alright, let’s get back to this fucked up cinema venture.” Clint said, plopping himself back down on his chair. After everyone settled, the screen began to play.

 

      **Tony was shown in a dirty wife beater, his arc reactor’s blue glow shown right through. He was next to a makeshift forge and was hammering in a determined stead fast pace on a piece of metal he held in tongs with his other hand. Once done he then dunked it in a bucket of water to cool, and pulled it back out. He walked over to where Yinsen was working and plopped it down on the table causing him to look up. The finished mask of the suit sat there with steam still rising off it.**

**Tony then started to wrap his hands in tape, like a boxer who was about to put on his gloves. Yinsen in the background was seen raising the torso of the suit using a small crane. He then helped Tony into some kind of jacket and leather gloves. A collar of padded leather was put around his neck for protection, before the torso of the suit was lowered onto him.**

**“Okay? Can you move?” Yinsen asked, Tony nodded and showed him flexing his hands.**

**“Okay say it again.” Yinsen instructed as he continued to bolt Tony into the rest of the suit.**

**“41 steps straight ahead. Then 16 steps, that’s from the door, fork right, 33 steps, turn right.” He recited.**

_He remembered the lay out from just one trip through them? With a sack over his head?_ Steve thought impressed.

 

      **The bald headed leader walked up to the surveillance screen.**

**“Where is Stark?” he asked the henchman to his left.**

**“He was here a moment ago.” He answered.**

**“Go look for him.” The Leader ordered. The henchman quickly obeyed, grabbing weapons and heading to their cell. The Leader leaned into the screen, seeing only Yinsen working on Tony who was blocked from the camera’s view. When the henchman reached the cell door, they slid open the panel and yelled out.**

**“Yinsen! Yinsen! Stark!” But Yinsen ignored him and continued to bolt Tony in.**

**“Say something. Say something back to him.” Tony urged in a whisper.**

**“He’s speaking Hungarian. I don’t…” Yinsen said in panicked voice.**

**“Then speak Hungarian.” Tony pushed.**

**“Okay. I know.”**

**“What do you know?” Tony calmly encouraged.**

**Yinsen nodded before yelling something in Hungarian that wasn’t translated. The guards weren’t satisfied as the keep yelling. The screen panned down from the yelling guard to the door handles. A makeshift bomb was rigged to the handle of the doors. The guards were fed up yelling, one nodded to the other to open the door. As soon as the handle was turned the bomb went off, sending the two guards flying backwards as fire chased them.**

**Tony turned his and Yinsen ducked as debris shot at them. The Leader began to frantically call for more guards as the explosion cut off the video feed.**

**“How’d that work?” Tony asked casually.**

**“Oh, my goodness. It worked all right.” Yinsen said.**

**“That’s what I do.”**

**“Let me finish this.” Said Yinsen.**

**“Initialize the power sequence.” Tony pushed instead.**

**“Okay.” Yinsen dropped the drill and headed over the laptop.**

**“Now!”**

**“Tell me. Tell me.” Yinsen urged.**

**“Function 11. Tell me when you see a progress bar. It should be up right now.” He instructed. “Talk to me tell me when you see it.”**

**“Yes. I have it.” Yinsen confirmed.**

**“Press Control ‘I’.”**

**“’I’. Got it.”**

**“’I.’ ‘Enter’. ‘I’ and ‘Enter.’ Come over he and button me up.” Tony said as the progress bar was shown slowly loading. Dozens of guards were armed and running toward them, shouting the whole way.**

**“Okay. All right. Every other hex bolt.” Tony muttered.**

**“They’re coming!” Yinsen began to panic as he kept looking at the doorway as he was finishing up.**

**“Nothing pretty, just get it done. Just get it done.” Tony calmly tried to keep Yinsen focused.**

Phil once again felt pride, as a parent would feel for his kid, that Tony was being calm in stressful situation and able to help others do the same. Glad once again for pushing Fury to include Tony into the Avengers initiative.

**“They’re coming.” Yinsen moaned as he finished with the bolts. Even more guards were shown approaching their location.**

**“Make sure the checkpoints are clear before you follow me out, okay?” Tony instructed. Yinsen didn’t seem to be listening as he watched the progress bar was barely at the half way point.**

**“We need more time.” He muttered. He turned around and faced Stark.**

**“Hey, I’m gonna go buy you some time.” He said determinedly.**

**“Stick to the plan!” Tony yelled as Yinsen ran past him and picked up the gun from one of the guards. “Stick to the plan!” but Yinsen ignored him and started to shoot bullets toward the ceiling as he ran down the hall.**

**“Yinsen!” Tony desperately called out to his friend.**

“Oh man.” Bruce murmured.

 

      “Not good. I have a bad feeling.” Clint said lowly, in a serious tone for once.

 

      **Yinsen was heard yelling as he let the bullets fly, not really trying to hit anybody. The guards began to retreat and run in the opposite direction. Yinsen suddenly stopped and The Leader and dozen men all cocked and pointed their guns at him.**

**The progress bar finally reached the end with a beep and the lights started to dim as the suit was heard powering up. A clank was heard as Tony’s suit unhooked and the hydraulic sound of movement as he got into position.**

**Three guards approached the entrance of the cells missing doors, looking at the dead bodies of their fallen henchmen, they became even more skittish. The guard in front jerked his head the others to go in. The other two slowly edged their way in but were moving to slow for the head of the group for he pushed they obviously scared men forward.**

**“** Coward.” Thor stated in disgust.

 

**They jumped at every sound and frantically looked around for Stark. The screen focused in on a gloved hand and it flexed as they drew nearer. A guard turned around as blue light shown on him. He looked up and was barely able to let out a shocked gasp before a metal arm came straight at him, hitting him so hard he flew across the room with a yell, letting bullets fly. The other guards were so startled they randomly started to fire all around the room. One of them turned around to say something but was cut off when blue light lit up their faces, to show shock and fear. Metal arms were thrust into the chest of the first two and a straight punch to last one, finished them off.**

**Clinking and whirring sounds came off the suit as he turned around, the screen spinning in the opposite direction, creating an impressive image. Tony then began to move forward with loud heavy steps.**

“Holy shit.” Breathed Clint.

 

      “He built it with only bits and pieces.” Bruce said in awe. The others were stunned into silence at what Stark was able to build with just scrapes.

 

      **He approached more guards who were firing at him, but the bullets just bounced off him. Tony just hit them as they close enough downing three in quick succession. The guards began to run away. They closed two heavy doors as he approached, leaving one their men behind without a second thought. The man began to frantically hit on the door, begging to be let in, but no one did.**

“Frickin bad guys.” Clint said.

 

**His banging was suddenly cut off, and silence hung for a few seconds. Then a loud bang made the door rattle and the guards backed up. Another bang left a dent. And another. One guard began to run away when the forth bang knocked the doors of their hinges and downed at least one man. Tony went to hit a henchman who came around the corner but missed and got his arm stuck in the dirt wall. As he was trying to pry it out, the man he tried to hit came up behind him and raised a pistol to Tony’s head. The shot bounced off and hit him in the head instead. Tony only gave him a passing looking before giving a hard wrench and freed his arm.**

**The Leader was seen loading a grenade launcher, and waited at the entrance to the end of the tunnels.**

**Tony turned the corner and saw Yinsen was laying down across some sacks, severely injured.**

**“Yinsen!” Tony called out.**

**“Watch out!” Yinsen warned, just before The Leader launched a grenade. It missed Tony as he stumbled away. Tony lifted a flap and pulled a trigger launched a miniature rocket at The Leader. He missed but it caused a big enough explosion that it knocked him down unconscious with falling debris. Tony then rushed to Yinsen pulling a sack off him.**

**“Stark.” Yinsen weakly said. Tony bent down and lifted his face plate up.**

**“Come on. We got to go. Move for me, come on. We got a plan We’re gonna stick to it.” Tony said, trying to get his friend to move.**

**“This was always the plan, Stark.” Yinsen said, pale and weak.**

**“Come on, you’re gonna go see your family. Get up.” Tony desperately encouraged.**

**“My family is dead. I’m going to see them now, Stark.” Tony got a slightly heartbroken look as his eyes watered.**

**“It’s okay. I want this. I want this.” Yinsen assured him. Tony let out a pained breath.**

**“Thank you for saving me.” He said with a small melancholy smile.**

**“Don’t waste it. Don’t waste your life.” Yinsen said, giving a last harsh breath before he stopped. His eyes closed.**

Everyone bowed their heads or looked down in silence. All of them sad and angry at the same time. So was Tony.

 

      **Tony jerked back in anger, when Yinsen stopped breathing, and gave a hard glare to the men waiting outside.**

**All the men waited with their guns pointed at the entrance to the cave. The clomping was faint at first but grew with each step to the point where the ground seemed to be actually shaking. The only thing that could be seen at first was the glow of the arc reactor, then the suit as the sun slowly hit it. Tony stood there for a second before one of the men shouted and they all started to fire at him. All the bullets just bounced off him making clinking and clanking sounds, as Tony just stood there. Seeing as the bullets were have no effect every stopped.**

**“My turn.” Tony said darkly, before igniting large ribbons of flames.**

“Fucking flame throwers?!” Clint yelled over the noise.

 

**Tony started to walk forward, hitting everything with flames. Men, tents, boxes, making sure that nothing survived.**

**A man up on some rocks got on a machine gun, and fired at Tony. Others started to fire at him once again, and this time a few lucky shots hit his suit in a joint causing him to fall on his knees. Seeing as the boxes that contained weapons started to exploded and more shots were hitting his suits weak spots, Tony forced himself up. He then flicked a red switch and pushed a button just as a huge explosion erupted.**

**Tony was seen flying up and out of the fire cloud and arcing slightly before the thruster sputtered out. Pieces of his suit came off as he fell fast, screaming. Hitting the ground pretty hard, causing sand to fly up. Parts and pieces of the suit were scattered everywhere, and Tony lay half submerged in sand. A slight groaned was heard. He flicked off the broken arm pieces before reaching up to take of the helmet. Once done, he lay his head back squinting at the sun.**

**“Not bad.” He muttered.**

“Not bad? Not bad?! That scrape suit had- had flamethrowers, and rockets! And it FLEW!” Clint yelled, huffing in excitement, awe, and disbelief. Bruce gently laid a hand on his shoulder. Clint hadn’t realized he had stood up during his rant.

 

      “Bruce did you not see?” Clint asked in a sort of maniac tone.

 

      “Yes I saw. I’m very impressed as well. Why don’t you sit down? Before you start frothing.” Bruce muttered the last part.

 

      “I can’t believe he made it out.” Steve said also impressed.

 

      “It was a very clever invention by Smith Stark.” Thor admitted. His opinion of the mortals rose and his belief about them was all skewed now. _They have certainly changed, and grew exponentially in just a few hundred years._

      “Except now he is in the middle of the desert. With no water and no idea of where he is.” Natasha wouldn’t admit it but she had become invested and now found herself worrying for Starks survival. Maybe even warming up to the other too.

**Tony started to walk over sand dunes. The jacket he wore underneath the suit was now covering his head, protecting it from the heat. He stumbled a bit as he lightly jogged, looking tired and covered in dirt, blood, and bruises. Tony slowed at the top of one sand dune when he heard a noise coming closer. Two helicopters zoomed overhead.**

**“Hey!” Tony shouted, raising his less injured arm and waving it. He laughed in relief and elation. He dropped to his knees, holding up the peace sign as the helicopters landed. Five military men came running out. One man ran ahead of the group, as he came closer, the man was reviled to be Rhodey.**

**“How was the ‘fun-vee’?” Rhodey said, causing Tony to smile tiredly as his eyes seemed to fill with relieved tears. Rhodey kneeled down and put a hand on Tony’s shoulder.**

**“Next time, you ride with me, okay?” Rhodey said in a choked voice. Then pulled him into a hug.**

Everyone felt relief that Tony was found.

 

      “How long was Stark in captivity?” Natasha asked.

 

      “Three months.” Phil answered.

 

      “And they were still looking for him?” She asked.

 

      “According to the military reports, Rhodes was the one who kept pushing for scouting missions. Even when they told him that he might not find him. Alive at least.” Phil said.

 

      “He never gave up.” Steve said. Feeling nostalgic, thinking how he too had a best friend that wouldn’t have stopped looking, and glade that Tony had such a friend.

 

**=A=**

**A military cargo plane touched down on a runway. A few cars, an ambulance and a familiar black car waited at the back of the plane as the ramp lowered.**

**Pepper waiting anxiously with a familiar body guard behind her, for Tony to appear. Her eyes red rimmed from crying.**

**Once the ramp was lowered, Rhodey helped Tony up from the wheelchair. He was now in a business suit and his injured arm in a sling. His cuts were patched up and he goatee was once again neatly trimmed.**

**“Watch it, coming up here.” Rhodey warned unnecessarily as they reached the end of the ramp. Two EMTs approached with a stretcher.**

**“Are you kidding me with this? Get rid of them.” Tony said and Rhodey waved them off. Tony fixed his jacket as he approached he approached Pepper, who gave him a tearful happy smile.**

**“Hmm,” he said when he stopped in front of her, “Your eyes are red. A few tears for your long-lost boss?” He teased.**

**“Tears of joy. I hate job hunting.” She teased right back with a smile.**

**“Yeah, vacation’s over.”**

**“Where to, sir?” the body guard/chauffeur asked once they were both in the car.**

**“Take us to the hospital, please, Happy.” Pepper said.**

**“No.” Tony cut her off.**

**“No? Tony, you have to-“**

**“NO is a complete answer.”**

**“-go to the hospital.”**

**“The doctor has to look at you.” Pepper insisted.**

**“I don’t have to do anything. I’ve been in captivity for three months. There are two things I want to do. I want an American cheeseburger, and the other…”**

**“That’s enough of that.” Pepper said.**

**“…is not what you think. I want you to call for a press conference now.” He stated firmly.**

**“Call for a press conference?” she asked incredulously.**

**“Yeah.”**

**“What on earth for?”**

**“Hogan, drive. Cheeseburger first.” Tony instructed**

“What did she think he wanted second?” Steve aske. No one really wanted to answer he slightly naïve question, though Clint smirked, he stopped from answering Steve when Natasha shot him a glare.

 

      “His bodyguard’s name is Happy Hogan?” Clint said instead. “Very intimating.” 

**The car pulled up to a building where a group of people were waiting outside, including Stane. They were all clapping, and Stane approached the vehicle as Tony got out.**

**“Look at this!” he said. “Tony.” And gave Tony a hug.**

**“We were going to meet at the hospital.”**

**“No, I’m fine.” Tony insisted.**

**“Look at you.” He said as Tony looked around for Happy, he grabbed another cheeseburger from the bag Hogan was holding out.**

**“You had to have a burger, yeah?”**

**“Well, come on.”**

**“You get me one of those?” he asked.**

**“There’s only one left. I need it.” Tony said already digging into it.**

      “Something is off with that man.” Steve stated.

 

      **As they walked into a room full of people wearing badges and holding cameras, they all applauded.**

**“Hey, look who’s her! Yeah!” Stane said clapping himself. Pepper settled herself at the back of the group with happy smile on her face, just glade Tony was home. Tony and Stane made their way up to the podium.**

**“Miss Potts?” a man asked.**

“Hey Phil!” Clint said.

 

      “I was sent to brief Mr. Stark.” Was all that Phil would say.

 

      **“Yes.” She answered.**

**“Can I speak to you for a moment?” he asked in a quiet polite manner.**

**“I’m not part of the press conference, but it’s about to begin right now.” She explained, thinking he was a reporter.**

**“I’m not a reporter. I’m agent Phil Coulson, with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.” He said handing her a card when he was finished.**

**“That’s quite a mouthful.”**

“Yeah.” Clint agreed.

 

      “You know, it kind of sounds like someone really wanted your acronym to spell shield.” Bruce stated. Phil just smiled.

**“I know. We’re working on it.” Phil said with a smile as Pepper took the card from him.**

**“You know, we’ve been approached already by the DOD, the FBI, the CIA…” Pepper listed.**

**“We’re a separate division with more specific focus.” Phil cut her off and still managing to be polite about it. “We need to debrief Mr. Stark about the circumstances of his escape.”**

**“I’ll put something in the book, shall I?” she said.**

**“Thank you.” Phil said and walked away with a happy smile, one that would make you never guess he was a highly trained secret agent. Stane stood at the podium with a huge smile, but look around for Tony only to find him sitting down on the floor in front of the podium.**

**“Hey, would it be all right if everyone sat down?” Tony asked, pulling another burger out of his pocket. “Why don’t you just sit down? That way you can see me, and I can…”**

**The reporters all looked at each other before slowly kneeling down, some with bemused smiles.**

**“A little less formal and…” he said before taking a bit of his burger. Stane was one of the last ones to sit down, but he did it with his camera ready smile.**

**“What’s up with the love-in?” Rhodey asked in a whisper as he lowered down to Pepper.**

**“Don’t look at me. I don’t know what he’s up to.” Pepper murmured back.**

**“Good to see you.” Tony said when he looked over to Stane.**

**“Good to see you.” Stane said back putting a hand on his shoulder.**

**“I never got to say goodbye to Dad.” He said to Stane, before turning to the reporters, “I never got to say goodbye to my father.” He put down his burger.**

**“There’s questions that I would have asked him. I would have asked him how he felt about what this company did. If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts.” He said, wiping his mouth careful to avoid his cuts. Pepper gave him as sad and confused look at what he was confessing.**

**“Or maybe he was every inch the man we all remember from the newsreels.” Rhodes gave a nostalgic smile at that. Tony small smile then disappeared.**

**“I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them.” The screen then showed Stane who had an expression confusion and weariness.**

**“And I saw that I had had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability.” They whole room was silent, but one reporter timidly raised his hand. And few other quietly called out Mr. Stark. Tony pointed at the man who raised his hand.**

**“Hey, Ben.” He said.**

**“What happened over there?” Ben asked.**

**“I had my eyes opened.” Tony said getting up to stand behind the podium. “I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. And that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International-“ Everyone who was kneeling popped up shouting out questions. Stane was the quickest and was now trying to push Tony away from the mics. Pepper’s face showed how shocked she and everyone else was.**

**“-until such a time as I can decide what the future of the company will be. What direction I should take,-” Tony continued to speak over Stane.**

**“I think we’re gonna be selling a lot of newspapers.” He said.**

**“-one that I’m comfortable with and is consistent with the highest good for this country, as well.” Tony finished as Stane was finally able to push he away from the podium. Rhodey’s expression showed disappointment, as Stane tried to do damage control, but falling short.**

**“What we should take away from this is that Tony’s back! And he’s healthier than ever.  We’re going to have a little internal discussion and we’ll get back to you with the follow-up.”**

“Well…I didn’t see that coming.” Clint said.

 

      “No one did.” Phil stated.

 

      “Can’t blame him though. After what he’s seen and been through.” Steve said.

 

      “I’m betting Stane is not going to be happy. Starks weapons were a huge part of the company.” Bruce said.

 

      “Doesn’t mean his company will go under. It’s a hit, a big one. But Stark has his fingers in a lot of pies.” Natasha said. Thor scrunched his eyebrows at the strange saying.

 

      “Tis’ curious.” Thor contemplated.

 

      “What is big guy?” Clint asked.

 

      “How did the Ten Rings know when and where young Stark would be? Which metal carriage he was in? How would they have known?” Thor’s questions sent a wave of uneasiness through them all, as they couldn’t find any other answer than…

 

      “An inside job.” Natasha said a loud what they were all thinking.

 

      _But who?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! How's it going? Who else is ecstatic it's February, meaning Deadpool is just around the corner! February 12th baby!  
> Well hope you like this chapter. I wouldn't know cause no one leaves feedback! (sobbing noise) Anyway (sniff) hoped you liked it. I'm thinking of doing the entire Phase One movies then end with Avengers then do like a series and do Phase Two in that one. Then maybe a separate series for the TV shows like DareDevil and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. etc. Comment and let me know if that is something you guys would like to read. Means a lot of typing for me, but you guys are worth it:)  
> Again, should I add more people? Maybe for another movie? It's already pretty hectic with six characters, and trying to give them all an equal voice, but (I'm looking at you Hawkeye!) some are just more vocal than others. At least in my mind. Coming up Tony tests his new suit and we get to see Dum-E!


	8. Testing, testing 1 2 3

**The scene started out with an overhead view of large building, the word STARK written on the roof, before switching to the front of the building, where Stane was pulling up alongside Happy, on a segway.**

**“Where is he?” he asked Hogan around his cigar.**

**“He’s inside.” Happy said, holding the segway. Stane pulled out his security card and swiped the front door.**

**Tony stood standing there staring at a gigantic arc reactor.**

“Is that the reactor?” Clint asked. Bruce hummed a yes. “How the hell he get it so small?”

 

**“Well, that… That went well.” Was the first thing Stane said, cigar in mouth and hands on his hips.**

**“Did I just paint a target on the back of my head?” Tony said adjusting his sling.**

**“Your head? What about my head?” said Stane.**

Natasha caught the infliction in Stane’s voice, that went beyond corporate concern.

 

      **“What do you think the over-under on the stock drop is gonna be tomorrow?” he asked.**

**“Uh, optimistically, 40 points.” Tony said.**

“Ouch.” Winced Clint.

 

      **“At minimum.” Stane grumbled.**

**“Yep.” He said offhandedly.**

**“Tony, we’re a weapons manufacturer.” Stane began.**

**“Obie, I just don’t want a body count to be out only legacy.” Tony said fiercely.**

Steve found himself nodding his head in approval.

 

      **“That’s what we do. We’re iron mongers. We make weapons.”**

**“It’s my name on the side of the building.”**

**“And what we do keeps the world from falling into chaos.” Stane continued, talking over Tony.**

**“Not based on what I saw. We’re not doing a good enough job. We can do better. We’re gonna do something else.”**

**“Like what? You want us to make baby bottles?” Stane said acrimoniously.**

**“I think we should take another look into arc reactor technology.” Tony said.**

**“Come on. The arc reactor, that’s a publicity stunt! Tony, come on. We built that thing to shut the hippies up!” he ranted pacing.**

**“It works.” Tony said simply.**

**“Yeah, as a science project. The arc was never cost effective. We knew that before we built it. Arc reactor technology, that’s a dead end, right?” said Stane, leaning against the railing.**

**“Maybe.” Mumbled Tony.**

**“Am I right? We haven’t had a breakthrough in that in what? Thirty years.” Probed Stane. Tony turned around to face him.**

**“That’s what they say.” He said with his squinting. “Could you have a lousier poker face? Just tell me, who told you?”**

**“Never mind who told me. Show me.” Stane said nodding towards his chest.**

**“It’s Rhodey or Pepper.”**

**“I want to see it.”**

**“Okay, Rhodey.” Tony said, pulling the Velcro on his sling, and looked around before unbuttoning his shirt. Stane got a shifty look on his face when he saw the arc.**

**“Okay.” He mumbled re-buttoning Tony’s shirt.**

**“Okay?” Tony asked. Stane gave a chuckle that sounded eager.**

**“It works.” Tony insisted.**

**“Listen to me, Tony.” Stane said, putting an arm around his shoulder. “We’re a team. Do you understand? There’s nothing we can’t do if we stick together, like your father and I.” Tony seemed to try to pull away at the mention of his father.**

**“I’m sorry I didn’t give you a heads-up, okay?” Tony cut him off impatiently.**

“Did Tony and his dad not get along or something?” ask Steve, facing Phil. Coulson shifting uncomfortably.

 

      “It’s not my place to say, I think.” He said. “But short answer, no. They didn’t.”

 

       Thor lowered his head, remembering the argument he had with his father.

 

      **“But if I had…”**

**“Tony. Tony, no more of this “ready, fire, aim” business. You understand me?”**

**“That was Dad’s line.” Tony said melancholy.**

**“You gotta let me handle this. We’re gonna have to play a whole different kind of ball now. We’re going to have to take a lot of heat. I want you to promise me that you’re gonna lay low.” Stane implored as he herded Tony out the door with him.**

**=A=**

**“ _Stark Industries!”_ A man yelled from a TV, the channel called Mad Money in big letters. “ _I’ve got one recommendation! Ready? Ready?”_ he continued to yell before pushing a button that also yelled, “ _Sell, sell, sell!”_**

**_“Abandon ship!”_ he said pushing another button that made a bear pop up and give a roar. _“Does the Hindenburg ring any bells?”_**

“This man is obnoxious. Please don’t tell me that he’s what news anchor are like in the future?” Steve pleaded.

 

      “No, he’s not. Thank goodness.” Bruce said.

 

      **Pepper sighed as she watches this man rant on TV.**

**“ _Let me show you the new Stark Industries business plan!”_ he then picked up a bat and smashed a coffee mug off his table. Pepper winced and bit her lip.**

**“ _Look, that’s a weapons company that doesn’t make weapons!”_ pushing another button that produced gun fire noise.**

“Jesus, shut him up.” Clint said. The others agreed.

 

**“Pepper. How big are your hands?” Tony’s voice sounded from somewhere. Pepper muted the TV by pressing a button on a clear panel and a picture of Tony’s face popped up.**

**“What?” she asked.**

**“How big are your hands?” he asked again.**

**“I don’t understand why…”**

**“Get down here. I need you.” Pepper gave suffering look before she put her laptop down and got up.**

**After putting in her code, the doors to Tony’s lab opened.**

**“Hey.” Tony said, reclined on a chair, with his shirt off and another reactor in his hands.**

**“Let’s see them. Show me your hands.” She raised her hands as she walked towards him.**

**“Oh, wow. They are small. Very petite, indeed. I just need your help for a sec.” he said looking down at the reactor in his hands.**

**“Oh, my God, is that the thing that’s keeping you alive?” she asked staring at the reactor in his chest.**

**“It was. It is now an antique.”**

“Antique?” muttered Bruce.

 

      **“This is what will be keeping me alive for the foreseeable future. I’m swapping it up for an upgraded unit, and I just ran into a little speed bump.”**

**“Speed bump, what does that mean?” she asked concerned.**

**“It’s nothing. It’s just a little snag.” Tony reassured. “There’s an exposed wire under this device. And it’s contacting the socket wall-“ Pepper sucked her teeth as Tony twisted and started pulling the device out “- and causing a little bit of a short.”**

**“It’s fine.” She flinched as Tony yanked on it removing it completely, and handed it to her.**

**“What do you want me to do?” she asked holding it between two fingers.**

**“Put that on the table over there. That is irrelevant.”**

**“Oh, my God!” she mumbled as she put it down.**

**“I want you to reach in, and you’re just gonna gently lift the wire out.”**

**“Is it safe?” she asked.**

**“Yeah, it should be fine. It’s like Operation. You just don’t let it touch the socket wall or it goes ‘beep’.” Tony flippantly explained.**

**“What do you mean, ‘Operation’?”**

**“It’s just a game, never mind. Just gently lift the wire. Okay? Great.”**

**“Okay.” She said uncertainly, but pulled her hand back with a hiss.**

**“You know, I don’t think that I’m qualified to do this.”**

**“No, you’re fine. You’re the most capable, qualified, trustworthy person I’ve ever met. You’re gonna do great.” Tony reassured in a sincere tone. They stared at each other for a moment.**

**“Is it too much of a problem to ask? ‘Cause I’m…”**

**“Okay, okay.” She relented.**

**“I really need your help here. Okay.” Pepper started to slowly reach her hand in the deep cavity.**

“That’s gross.” Clint said.

 

**“Oh, there’s pus!” she squealed.**

**“It’s not pus. It’s an inorganic plasmic discharge from the device, not from my body.”**

**“It smells!” she whimpered.**

“That can’t be good to have in your body.” Phil commented.

 

      **“Yeah, it does.” He agreed. “The copper wire. The copper wire, you got it?”**

**“Okay, I got it! I got it!”**

**“Okay, you got it? Now, don’t let it touch the SIDES-“ he yelled as the wire came in contact with wall making a buzzing sound “-when you’re coming out!”**

“Ha! It did beep like Operation.” Clint smiled. Bruce just shook his head.

 

**“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” She kept saying.**

**“That’s what I was trying to tell you before. Okay, now make sure that when you pull it out, you don’t pull out the magnet…” he started to say, but was too late as Pepper was already holding a dangling magnet dripping with discharge.**

**“There’s a magnet at the end of it! That was it. You just pulled it out.” The heart monitor started to beep faster.**

**“Oh, God!” Pepper said flustered.**

**“Okay, I was not expecting… Don’t put it back in! Don’t put it back in!”**

**“Okay, what do I do?” she asked. She quickly put down the magnet.**

**“What’s wrong?”**

**“Nothing, I’m just going into cardiac arrest-“**

**“What?!”**

**“-cause you yanked it out like a trout…”**

**“What? You said it was safe!”**

**“We gotta hurry. Take this. Take this.” Tony said handing her the new reactor.**

**“Okay. Okay.” She breathed.**

**“You gotta switch it out really quick.”**

**“Tony?” she stopped and put a hand on his shoulder.**

**“What?” he groaned slightly.**

**“It’s going to be okay.” She assured.**

“Not really the time to comfort him.” stated Natasha.

 

      **“Is it?” he asked facetiously.**

**“It’s gonna be okay.” She said, sounding like she was more reassuring herself now, rather than Tony. “I’m gonna make this okay.”**

**“Let’s hope.” He said.**

**“Okay, you’re gonna attach that to the base plate.” He instructed as she began to reach in again. “Make sure you…Ooooow!” he yelled as Pepper attached it to his chest, causing it to shock him once again.**

**“Was that so hard?” he asked as Pepper was breathing hard. “That was fun, right? Here, I got it. I got it. Here.” He said taking over, and twisting the new reactor into place.**

**“Nice.”**

**“Are you okay?” she whispered, holding up her wet hands.**

**“Yeah, I feel great. You okay?” Tony asked chuckling.**

**“Don’t ever, ever, ever, _ever_ ask me to do anything like that ever again.”**

**“I don’t have anyone but you.” Tony said. They stared at each other, Pepper with a light expression, and Tony who gave a smirk.**

**“Anyway…” he said trying to break the heavy feeling, and pulled off the heart monitor tabs.**

**“What do you want me to do with this?” she asked holding up the old reactor.**

**“That? Destroy it. Incinerate it.” He said wiping off his chest.**

**“You don’t want to keep it?” she asked.**

**“Pepper, I’ve been called many things. ‘Nostalgic’ is not one of them.” She just gave him a somber nod.**

**“Will that be all, Mr. Stark?”**

**“That will be all, Miss Potts.” He said, giving her a small smile before heading back towards his desk.**

**“Hey, Butterfingers, come here.” He motioned towards a clawed robot, pointed at his desk and asked it, “What’s all this stuff doing on top of my desk?”**

**Pepper walked away, looking down at the reactor in her hands with a contemplative look.**

**“That’s my phone, that’s a picture of me and my dad. Right there. In the garbage. All that stuff.” He finished telling him, then turned around to watch Pepper walk out of the lab, and taping his new arc reactor.**

**=A=**

**A jet was shown taxing on a runway, before it the scene switched to a stationary jet in hanger. Rhodey was leading a group military personals.**

**“The future of air combat. Is it manned or unmanned? I’ll tell you, in my experience, no unmanned aerial vehicle will ever trump a pilot’s instinct, his insight, that ability to look into a situation beyond the obvious and discern its outcome, or a pilot’s judgment.” He said as he stopped walking to face the group.**

**“Colonel? Why not a pilot without the plane?” Tony asked walking towards him wearing jeans and a leather jacket.**

**“Look who fell out of the sky. Mr. Tony Stark.” Rhodey said with a smile.**

**“Hello, sir.” Some said as Tony shook their hands.**

**“Speaking of manned or unmanned, you gotta get him to tell you about the time he guessed wrong at spring break. Just remember that, spring break, 1987. That lovely lady you woke up with.” Tony said turning to Rhodey.**

**“Don’t do that!” pleaded Rhodes.**

**“What was his name?” he causing the group, and the six watching, to chuckle.**

**“Was it Ivan?”**

**“Don’t do that. They’ll believe it. Don’t do that.” He warned with a smile.**

**“Okay. Pleasure meeting you.” He said sincerely to the group.**

**“Give us a couple of minutes, you guys.” Rhodes asked with a chuckle.**

**“I’m surprised.”**

**“Why?” Tony asked.**

**“I swear, I didn’t expect to see you walking around so soon.”**

**“I’m doing a little better than walking.” Tony hinted.**

**“Really?” he asked crossing his arms.**

**“Yeah. Rhodey, I’m working on something big. I came to talk to you. I want you to be a part of it.” Tony said.**

**“You’re about to make a whole lot of people around here real happy, ‘cause that little stunt at the press conference, that was a doozy.” He said with a chuckle.**

**“This is not for the military. I’m not… It’s different.” Tony tried to explain.**

**“What? You’re a humanitarian now or something?” Rhodes asked disbelievingly.**

**“I need you to listen to me.”**

**“No. What you need is time to get your mind right.” Rhodes said seriously. Tony couldn’t help but laugh.**

**“I’m serious.” He said.**

**“Okay.” Tony said trying smother his smile and look serious as he nodded.**

**“It’s nice seeing you, Tony.” Rhodes said sounding slightly disappointed as he walked away back to his group. Tony’s smile faded.**

**“Thanks.” He said quietly.**

**=A=**

**The outside of Tony’s Malibu mansion was shown, before switching to inside Tony’s lab. He waved his hand over his desk and a blue neon keyboard, with strange keys, appeared.**

**“Jarvis, you up?” he asked as he began to type.**

**“For you, sir, always.” The disembodied British voice answered.**

**“I’d like to open up a new project file, index as Mark Two.” He said using a pen to direct a digital blueprint of the Mark I suit, and dragged it across the monitors and over to a lit up table, where I popped up into a 3D model.**

**“Shall I store this on the Stark Industries Central Database?” Jarvis asked.**

**“Actually, I don’t know who to trust right now. Till further notice, why don’t we just keep everything on my private server?” Tony said, circling the hologram.**

**“Working on a s secret project, are we, sir?” Tony flipped open the helmet, before swiping his hand over it, collecting a few pieces, before throwing it in a 3D trashcan.**

**“I don’t want this winding up in the wrong hands.” Throwing a few more pieces in the trash. “Maybe in mine, it can actually do some good.” He said spinning the remaining suit pieces.**

“Eh, more or less.” Phil said.

 

**=A=**

**An armed man, wearing goggles and a scarf over his mouth, was shown walking through the sand, as the wind whipped it up. Similar men were shoveling sand and carrying scraps of metal. One man dug up the suits faceplate, holding it up he shouted something that wasn’t translated.**

“Oh shit. Their trying to dig up the first suit.” Clint said.

 

      “Thank you Captain Obvious.” Natasha said. Clint stuck his tongue out at her, but quickly sucked it back in and tried to look innocent when she looked at him.

 

      **The Actual Leader, turned towards the shout, showing his raw and scarred right side. He shouted something back, and the henchman came running over. The Leader held it, and gave an angry grimace.**

**=A=**

**Tony was soldering, what looked like a metal boot. A robot holding a magnifying glass was trying, keyword trying, to help.**

**“Next. Up. Not in the boot, Dummy. Right here. You got me?” Tony said tapping where he wanted Dummy to go.**

**“Stay put. Nice.” He praised. Though it didn’t last long, when Dummy moved the magnifying glass super close to Tony’s face.**

**“You’re of no benefit at all. Move down to the toe. I got this.” When Dummy tried to move he got in the way of Tony’s hands.**

**“Okay, I’m sorry, am I in your way?” he asked sarcastically. He finished near the top and moved down.**

**“Up.” But Dummy didn’t move. “Screw it. Don’t even move. You are a tragedy.” He said blowing on his tool before dosing it on a wet sponge. Hitting a button the calf part of the boot opened.**

“Is he doing what I think he’s doing?” asked Bruce.

 

      **A camera zoomed out, showing that it was currently recording, until Tony was in the picture. He backed up into the middle of measured out surface.**

**“Okay, let’s do this right. Start mark, half a meter, and a back and center.” He said blowing out a breath. He adjusted the hand controls, all the wires were connected to his reactor, being the power source.**

**“Dummy, look alive. You’re on standby for fire safety.” Tony said to the robot arm behind him. “You, roll it.” He said to the robot holding the camera.**

“He named his robots Butterfingers, Dummy, and You? What kind of names are those?” Steve asked, mostly to himself. _Sounds like something a kid would name a random pet they picked off the street and brought home._

**“Okay. Activate hand controls.” He stated, pushing a button on the belt he was wearing, and got into a ready stance with his knees bent and arms forward.**

**“We’re gonna start off nice and easy. We’re gonna see if 10% thrust capacity achieves lift.” He stated for the record. “And three, two, one.” Tony hit hand controls, and took off so fast he flipped over backwards and face planted upside down against the concrete wall.**

Everyone let out concerned sounds. Clint just busted up laughing. He laughed even harder when Dummy dosed him with the fire extinguisher.

 

      **Tony then was shown at one of his many computer screens, working on blueprints for the arm pieces, and sipping coffee from a Stark mug. He started putting the holographic pieces together, and put his hand in, testing placement and movement. He upgraded to the next step and was currently clicking the piece into place on his right forearm, just as Pepper was seen heading down the stairs towards his lab.**

Steve was not only amazed at the technology the future possessed but he was also in awe of Tony, and how he was able to build, by himself, all this tech. And as was seen he didn’t need fancy computers (though he was sure it helped) or state of the art equipment to build amazing creations.

 

      **He was putting the final pieces in place, when Pepper came up next to him, balancing a clipboard with a box on top and mug on top of that with only one hand.**

**“Up two. All right, set that.” Tony instructed.**

**“I’ve been buzzing you. Did you hear the intercom?” she asked.**

**“Yeah, everything’s…What?” he asked distractedly.**

**“Obadiah’s upstairs.” She said putting down her tower. “What would you like me to tell him?”**

**“Great! Great. I’ll be right up.” He said over her, as he hefted the arm piece up and off the stand it was resting on. He held it facing away from him as he centered himself.**

**“I thought you said you were done making weapons.” Pepper said, with maybe a hint of disappointment that he might have gone back on his word.**

**“It is. This is a flight stabilizer. It’s completely harmless.” He reassured, then pressed a button. The circle of light at the center of his palm grew in intensity and the sound of power building could be heard. The burst of repulsor energy was so strong it blew almost everything of the table and propelled Tony backwards, so fast, one second he was there and then gone. Pepper had covered her ears from the loud bang, but popped her head up trying to find Tony through the slight smoke.**

**“I didn’t expect that.” Tony mumbled, from somewhere.**

“Oh man! Haha!” Clint was clutching his side. Natasha just slapped him upside the back of his head.

 

      **Piano music played as Tony came up the stairs two at a time and round a waterfall. His greased stained blue shirt had a hole cut out where the arc reactor was.**

“A waterfall? Seriously?” Clint mumbled when he calmed down a bit.

 

      **“How’d it go?” he asked. The screen panned to show it was Stane playing. He didn’t answer.**

**“It went that bad, huh?” Tony asked when he saw the pizza on the living room table. Pepper was on the couch, back on her laptop.**

**“Just because I brought pizza back from New York doesn’t mean it went bad.” Stane said as he continued to play.**

**“Sure doesn’t. Oh, boy.” Tony said sarcastically, reaching for a slice of pizza. Stane stopped playing and headed down the stairs toward the couch.**

**“It would have gone better if you were there.” Stane said.**

**“Uh uh.” Tony said through a mouthful of pizza. “You told me to lay low. That’s what I’ve been doing. I lay low, and you take care of all…”**

**“Hey, come on. In public. The press. This was a board of directors meeting.”**

**“This was a board of directors meeting?” Tony asked in fake shock. Stane ignored his sarcasm.**

**“The board is claiming you have posttraumatic stress. They’re filing an injunction.” Stane said.**

“What’s posttraumatic stress?” Steve asked.

 

      “Really?” Clint asked. Bruce shushed him.

 

      “It’s also known as PTSD.” Bruce patiently said, turning to Steve. “It wasn’t really recognized as a…viable disorder until the 1980s.”

 

      “Oh, well, what does it mean, exactly?” Steve asked.

 

      “Well, PTSD is a mental health condition and it’s triggered by a severely traumatic or a terrifying event. Victims of abuse, police officers, and, or really more specifically, army personnel are common known people to uh, have it. But really anyone can suffer from PTSD. If Tony has it, he would be experiencing severe anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares. He would also might have uncontrollable thoughts about whatever the event was. In his case it would be his uh, 3-month captivity.” * Bruce finished with a distressed look on his face. He didn’t notice any symptoms from Tony, though there are people who are better at hiding it then others.

 

      **“A what?” Tony said in disbelief.**

**“They want to lock you out.”**

**“Why, ‘cause the stocks dipped 40 points? We knew that was gonna happen.” He said.**

**“Fifty-six and a half.” Pepper gently corrected.**

**“It doesn’t matter.” He said, in a louder voice, as he turned toward her. “We own the controlling interest in the company.” Pepper just gave him an unimpressed look.**

**“Tony, the board has rights, too.” Stane reminded him. “They’re making the case that you and your new direction isn’t in the company’s best interest.”**

**“I’m being responsible! That’s a new direction for me, for the company.” Stane raised his eyebrows. “I mean, me on the company’s behalf being responsible for the way that…” Tony tried to correct, turning towards Pepper.**

**“This is great.” He mumbled around his pizza, before getting up with the pizza box in one hand and a slice in the other.**

     

      **“Oh, come on. Tony. Tony.” Stane tried to coax him back.**

**“I’ll be in the shop.”**

**“Hey, hey! Hey, Tony. Listen.” Stane got him to stop as he put a hand on his shoulder.**

**“I’m trying to turn this thing around, but you gotta give me something. Something to pitch them. Let me have the engineers analyze that. You know, draw up some specs.” He said pointing at Tony’s chest piece.**

**“No. No, absolutely not.” He said in a tone of complete resolve.**

 

      **“It’ll give me a bone to throw the boys in New York!” Stane tried to convince him.**

**“This one stays with me. That’s it, Obie. Forget it.”**

**“All right, well, this stays with me, then.” He said taking the pizza box away. “Go on, here, you can a have a piece. Take two.” Tony took a piece as he held the lid.**

**“Thank you.” He said walking away back towards the stairs.**

**“You mind if I come down there and see what you’re doing?” Stane called after him.**

**“Good night, Obie.” Tony said trotting back down the stairs.**

**=A=**

**“Day 11, test 37, configuration 2.0.” Tony said, as the screen rotated to show him now wearing his flight stabilizers.**

**“For lack of a better option, Dummy is still on fire safety.” He turned toward the robot hold the extinguisher, “If you douse me again, and I’m not on fire, I’m donating you to a city college.” Tony threatened, Dummy lowered his…head? And made a sad beeping noise.**

**The scene then switched to You, as he recorded the next test.**

**“All right, nice and easy. Seriously, just gonna start off with 1% thrust capacity. And three, two, one.” He ignited all four of his thrusters and hovered maybe ten inches off the ground, before cutting it off.**

**“Okay.” He said as he tried not fall from the hard landing.**

**“Please don’t follow me around with it, either,” He said. Noticing Dummy waving the nozzle dangerously over Tony. “ ‘cause I feel like I’m gonna catch on fire spontaneously. Just stand down! If something happens, then come in. And again, let’s bring it up to 2.5.”**

**“Three, two, one.” This time he hovered a little over twenty inches. He was a little unsteady as he started to drift away from the platform and over his really expensive looking cars.**

**“Okay, this is where I don’t want to be! Not the car, not the car! Yikes!” he said as he glided over the hoods. He continued to drift but now he was over at his desk area.**

**“Table!” he said, as papers went flying. He then put both his hands in front of him, causing him to drift back to his original start position, giving a nervous little laugh.**

**“Could be worse! Could be worse! We’re fine! Okay.” He finally got his arms in a position that allowed him to hover roughly in one place. He slowly started to lower, a bit unsteadily, before his thrusters cut out a few inches of the ground. When he landed he had to take a few steps back so he wouldn't fall over. He noticed Dummy raising the extinguisher.**

**“No! Ah ah ah ah ah!” he said scoldingly. Dummy sadly lowered his head.**

**“Yeah, I can fly.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Got another chapter for you little ditties:) drop a comment, give some sweet feedback, and the next chapters should be up...soon. I don't really have a schedule for these things. However the next chapter should have a little more action. 
> 
> *Got this definition of PTSD from the Mayoclinic.org. If you or someone you know, or if someone you know, knows someone else with PTSD, you can either google how to help them, or got to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where the they have a PTSD National Center for PTSD. Kinda redundant but at least it’s a starting point.


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